


Deception and Disguise

by ClaudiaWrites



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Drama, F/M, Romance, jily, jily au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-23 11:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 96,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13787184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaudiaWrites/pseuds/ClaudiaWrites
Summary: AU. In order to escape from her uncle, King Riddle, Princess Lily Catherine Evans flees from the royal palace. What happens when she makes acquaintances with the Marauders, the famous gang of bandits known throughout the kingdom? Will she be able to overcome her qualms and trust them with her true identity, or will it be too late?





	1. The Dispute

   


**Deception and Disguise**

**The Dispute**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"I already told you that I'm not going to marry him!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, not caring that someone in the adjacent ballroom might hear their conversation.

"Do not raise your voice at me, girl. It might force me to do something I don't want to," he growled at his niece. "I'm not your father that you can convince me with your crying and sobbing. Stop it this instant! This type of behavior is not becoming of a princess."

She angrily wiped away the tears streaming down her face, but it proved to be useless as fresh ones took their place immediately. "You do not have to remind me that you are not my father, uncle," she replied, trying her best to not let her voice waver. "He would have never forced me to marry him."

"We might never know what he would have wanted, would we? Your father is dead." He said without a hint of remorse in his voice.

"He was your _brother_. How could you speak of him like this?" she cried, her heart aching at the memory of her deceased father.

"Charles did not know how to run a kingdom; treating commoners like friends, allowing them inside the castle…his methods were disgraceful! The world is well rid of him."

"Do not speak about my father like that," she all but screamed again, her silky auburn hair tumbling out of her elegant bun. "He was a good man; better than you can ever be. He treated everyone fairly. The kingdom was _happy_ under his reign. They could come to him with their problems, knowing that he would help them. But now…now the people hate us! You have driven more than half the families into poverty only to ensure that _you_ have enough gold to drown in."

She angrily walked closer to the king, who was clutching the handle of his sword so hard that his knuckles had turned white. His urge to kill the insolent girl in front of him was becoming overwhelming; if only she didn't have the ability to bring him immense riches, he would have done it a long time ago.

"I hope you know that there is no doubt in my mind that my father was _murdered_ , Your Highness." She hissed, her voice laden with venom. "Do not be mistaken that I believed your story for a second. My father never trusted you; he wouldn't have left his sword with you at any cost."

"How _dare_ you – " he raised his hand, unable to control his rage any longer. But she didn't even wince as his palm connected with her delicate face and her pearl-white skin turned an angry red. Instead, she merely glared back at her uncle with nothing but rage-filled tears shining in her emerald eyes.

She sneered, staring directly into his black, cold eyes. "Did I hit a nerve, uncle Riddle?"

"Princess Evans! Where were you? I had been looking every—oh!" A flustered looking servant suddenly entered the hallway, staring at the scene before her with big brown eyes before realizing her place and bowing down to them dutifully. She had curly, copper blonde hair and pale skin which was dotted with freckles.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness," she apologized fearfully, not lifting her head. "I did not know that the princess was with you."

"I do not think that is a problem, Mary. Uncle and I are done talking," the princess spoke up before Riddle could reply.

The king looked at the servant named Mary with disgust, unable to believe that his niece would know such filth by name. _Just like Charles,_ he thought with contempt before redirecting his glare at the impudent girl in front of him.

"The marriage will take place within a fortnight. And you _will_ marry Prince Lucius…even if I have to force you to do so. If this is delayed any further and he marries Narcissa Black instead, mark my words princess, I will not hesitate to send you to the gallows," he whispered frostily to her. " _Now_ we're done talking." He said loudly, whirling around and walking back into the ballroom, his black cape billowing with each stride.

As soon as her uncle was out of sight, she slid down to the floor, her green dress pooling around her as she sat. Putting her head into her hands, she sobbed silently, wondering what her life had come to.

"Oh, Princess Evans," Mary immediately rushed to her side, rubbing her back and trying to console her. "Please forgive me for saying so, but I think it will be better if I take you to your chamber. His highness will be furious if someone were to see you like this."

"I shall allow you to take me to my chamber," came the muffled reply. "But not because of what my uncle wants, but because I do not wish for anyone to think of me as weak." She sniffed and lifted her head proudly.

Mary smiled at her. Despite her red face stained with tears and her dress rumpled around her, Princess Lily Catherine Evans looked as radiant and beautiful as ever. Her shiny sheet of auburn hair tumbled down her waist perfectly, and her emerald eyes shone with anger and resilience. She was anything but a weak little girl.

"Of course not, Your Highness," Mary agreed softly, helping the princess stand up from her position on the floor.

"Mary, how many times do I have to remind you to call me Lily?" she asked with a watery smile on her beautiful face. "We are friends. Calling me 'Your Highness' or 'Princess Evans' seems to ruin that idea, do you not agree?"

"Yes, Lily." She replied, albeit a bit hesitantly.

"Much better," Lily smiled, her voice tinkling pleasantly through the hallway. Mary immediately found herself grinning as well; the princess' laugh was contagious.

"Ah! I was wondering where you had run off to after our dance," a voice spoke out behind them. The two women turned around slowly to find a tall man with sleek blonde hair and blue eyes that showed no warmth whatsoever, standing in front of them, an ugly sneer on his otherwise handsome face. Lily took a deep, calming breath at the sight of him.

"Prince Lucius," she greeted with a curtsy, the forced politeness in her voice evident.

"Princess Lily," he bowed down in response before snapping his fingers at Mary and simply gesturing her to leave without even glancing towards her. The princess felt her blood boil at the type of behavior he was exhibiting towards her only friend in the entire castle, but forced herself to keep her mouth shut. She watched sadly as Mary left without a word, her head bowed down the entire way.

"If my memory is not deceiving me, Your Highness," Lily spoke after a few seconds, "then I distinctly remember asking you to call me Princess Evans. You see, I only allow those closest to me to greet me by my first name."

"I assure you, princess, that my memory is quite as sharp as yours," he replied, walking dangerously close to her. She had to control her urge of scrunching up her nose in disgust at the close proximity. "But given that I plan on marrying you in a fortnight from now, I would consider us…quite…close." He whispered, leaning towards her.

Lily immediately stumbled away from him, trying to get the horrid image of Prince Lucius looming over her out of her mind. "I have no intentions of marrying you, Your Highness," She said, gritting her teeth. "And I think I have already made myself clear on that issue on plenty of occasions."

"Pardon me, my lady," he scoffed, his eyes flashing at her rejection. "But I do not think that your opinion on this matter is going to affect anything. His Highness, King Riddle, has already made the arrangements for our wedlock. The only thing that is expected of you is to attend."

"I beg your pardon?" she demanded outrageously. "I would think that my opinion on this matter is quite important. Without my agreement, this marriage is not likely to take place."

"That may very well be the case," Lucius replied. "But I know that the king is going to take care of that. This marriage is, after all, an important deal between both the royal families. And your agreement is just a trivial part of that. I'm sure your uncle will go to great measures to ensure that the deal is not broken."

_Like threatening to send me to the gallows,_ Lily thought bitterly.

"And anyway," Lucius continued, "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Lily's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his words. "I am unable to understand what you mean," she told him truthfully.

"You do not have to hide it any longer, princess. I have finally understood your reason for not wanting to marry me. And I must admit, I should have figured it out quite sooner. It does seem very obvious." He said with a self-important grin.

"And what is it that you have concluded?" Lily asked dryly. She highly doubted that the prince would ever realize that the reason she did not want to marry him consisted of a long list of abhorring traits. No, he was too self-absorbed to realize that.

"Well," he drawled, stretching the word as he walked around Lily, taking in her appearance. "Despite the fact that you look quite a mess at the moment, I shall like to inform you that you do not have to consider yourself unworthy of me. I do not care if you are less handsome than I am."

Lily felt disgusted with him, with his attitude towards her. She could feel herself burning from anger and fury; anger at the fact that he would have the nerve to think she considered herself unworthy of him. Instantly, she found herself yelling. "That is _not_ the reason I—"

She stopped speaking abruptly, for the doors to the ballroom had suddenly opened and the guests were piling out into the hallway, ready to depart. She decided to simply glare at the man in front of her instead of shouting at him.

"There you are, Lucius! I am afraid we must leave now," A woman with long blonde hair strode over to the pair, her grey eyes scanning Lily distastefully. "Are you alright, Your Highness? You seem very…distraught." Elizabeth Malfoy, Lucius' mother and Queen of Slytherin, said, frowning at the embarrassed-looking girl in front of her.

Lily was suddenly very aware of the dried tear stains on her cheeks and her creased outfit. Realizing that all the royal families in the surrounding kingdoms were currently staring at her frazzled appearance, she quickly tried to make an exit. "Yes, I'm feeling fine. Pardon me for sounding rude, but I think I need to take your leave. The day has worn me off. I hope you had a pleasant evening."

"Yes, of course. I understand," Elizabeth replied, still staring at her with displeasure.

Lily quickly, yet politely, gave a curtsy and rushed off to her room, trying to get away from the view of all those self-important people. Spotting Mary on the way, she grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her along with her. Lily was grateful when her friend did not ask any questions till they had reached the confines of her chamber.

The princess' room was large and spacious, with a balcony that overlooked the entire kingdom. She remembered going on strolls with her father through the streets of Gryffindor when she was a kid. Being a mere five year old at the time, she would find the simple shops on the streets fascinating. And while the king would talk to the commoners, she would try to make new friends, as everyone within the castle walls was much older than her. But it was only a matter of time before she realized that a princess was not meant to have friends who were not royalty.

"Lily? What happened?" Mary asked, watching her friend throw herself on the king-sized bed and sob silently again.

"I do not want to marry him. Is it really that selfish of me if I'm thinking about my happiness?" she replied, her petite body shaking with each sob that tore through her lips.

"Of course not!" Mary replied immediately, aghast that the princess would even need to ask such a question. "It is your life. You should marry who want to. You should marry someone you fall in love with, not someone who makes you unhappy."

"Then why am I being forced into marrying Prince Lucius?" Lily asked quietly. But there was no response. Mary simply bit her lip and sighed, unable to come up with an answer to her question. Walking over to the massive wardrobe in the room, she pulled out a comfortable and smooth blue dress before making her way towards Lily.

"Forgive me, Lily. But there is not much I can say about this situation." She apologized softly, her eyes filling up with tears at the sight of her troubled friend. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. You might feel better after a hot bath." She suggested, leading the princess towards the bathroom.

* * *

"I-I just can't do this, Mary," Lily said, biting her lip sadly.

"I know, Lily. I know," Mary replied soothingly, continuing to brush the wet, auburn sheet of hair gently. As she neatly tied Lily's hair into a comfortable bun with a few loose red strands framing her face, the princess turned around to speak again. "I just wish there was some solution to all of this. Some way I could escape this – this cage!" she gestured wildly with her hands.

All she got was a compassionate look from brown-eyed girl. Lily sighed, defeated. "Sometimes I wish I were dead. Then maybe I wouldn't have to live day after day, knowing that my father's murderer was ruling the kingdom and controlling me, while I did _nothing_ but watch helplessly."

"Don't say that!" Mary bellowed, startling the princess. Then, realizing what she had done, she clamped her hands over her mouth, brown eyes aghast. "Pardon me, Your Highness! I did not mean to lose my temper. It was not my place to shout at you. You can give me any punishment you think is—"

"Mary! I am not going to punish you. It's alright." Lily cut her off, clutching her hands to console her. "And forgive me for saying what I did. It-It's just that..." she sighed, looking remorsefully out the balcony, at her father's kingdom. "Sometimes I wonder how it would be like, to be as free as a bird. To not care about your image or what people thought about you. To just _live._ "

Following her line of vision, Mary stared at Hogwarts and its bustling streets which were lit up by the moonlight as well. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she absentmindedly formed a plan. "Maybe…maybe you could run away," she whispered after a few moments of silence.

Lily's big, emerald eyes widened at her suggestion and her head snapped towards Mary, who was still looking thoughtful, as if unaware of what she had just said. "What?" she asked, slightly breathless for some reason.

"I said that maybe you should run away from here, from this castle," Mary replied, finally turning to look at the shocked princess. Lily couldn't believe her ears; was Mary _actually_ suggesting that? But looking into her confident brown eyes, she knew that her friend was absolutely aware of what she was saying.

"B-but how? I mean, uncle Riddle would find me within a few hours. I haven't even been to these streets since I was five, Mary. How will I hide from him?" Lily asked anxiously.

"Disguise," came the automatic reply. "You know my brother, Mark, yes?" Lily nodded her head numbly. "Well, he participates in the fair that takes place every year. He'll have plenty of disguises for you. I can find a few suitable ones for you, Lily."

The princess thought her head was going to burst. She hadn't set foot outside the castle since she was a young kid, other than going to visit numerous royal families in the neighboring kingdoms. Running away from her pitiless uncle may have sounded horribly appealing, but she knew it was not as easy as it seemed. "I-I don't know, Mary." She finally replied.

"If you may allow, can I say something that could possibly sound too bold?" Mary asked pleadingly. Lily smiled at her encouragingly and nodded her head.

Mary took a few steps and sat beside her, taking Lily's hands between her own. "I know what you're thinking, Lily. That suddenly leaving the castle and running away into a place which you hardly even remember isn't going to be easy. And I'm not going to lie to you; it's going to be difficult. It's going to be very difficult. Not to mention that you'd be taking a huge risk by angering the king and the Malfoys. But in the end, isn't all of this going to be worth it? You'll finally get to live your life, make some _real_ friends, not servants. And I'm not just talking about myself. Face it, Lily; you need more friends, everyone does. It's true that you'll have to hide from your uncle for as long as you can, but if you think that there is even the slightest chance that until he finds you, you'll have a better life than you could ever have here...then run away, Lily."

The room fell silent for the next few minutes, the only sounds coming from the crowded streets of Gryffindor.

"Mary, get me the clothes tomorrow," Lily finally said, grinning widely at her friend. "I'm running away."

* * *

**To be continued…**

 


	2. The Stolen Deal

 

 

 

**Deception and Disguise**

**The Stolen Deal**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"Who are you?" A fat, beefy guard asked. He frowned at the tall, thin man with blonde hair standing in front of him.

"Thomas Brooks," The man answered, his blue eyes dancing mischievously.

"Brooks? Brooks who? And what business do you have here?" The guard continued in a gruff voice, and was displeased to note that the man did not even flinch at his sharp tone.

"Why, my good man," Thomas spoke in a relaxed tone, "His Highness, King Malfoy, will be very unhappy if he were to know about all this questioning. Do you really wish for that to happen?"

"His Highness knows riffraff like you?" He asked, his black eyes scrutinizing the ordinary brown breeches, white shirt and worn boots. Brooks merely smirked in response, the action suddenly making him look livelier and younger.

"What is your name?"

"Valdin Crabbe, Head of Guards of the Slytherin Castle." He replied proudly. "Why?"

"Well, Mr. Crabbe, I was just wondering how King Malfoy will react when I tell him that you were keeping his old friend waiting outside." Brooks answered in a bored manner. Crabbe instantly paled and started apologizing.

"I beg your pardon, sir. I was not aware of that. It's just that your attire was misleading. I apologize for my misbehavior. But I must go and speak with His Highness, nevertheless."

"Ah, I understand your hesitancy; actually, I do not believe in showing off my riches. And I would be grateful if you do go and talk to the king. He will attest to whatever I've said." Brooks said and watched as Crabbe bowed once before walking inside the castle. He sighed and started tapping his foot.

"Great job," Someone whispered in his ear and Brooks turned around to find a handsome, black-haired man smiling at him. The man flicked his hair away from his grey eyes and it fell back into place gracefully. Brooks nodded towards him, his eyes anxiously glancing towards the castle entrance.

"Yeah, nicely done, mate. You got the thick-head." Another handsome man with messy, jet black-hair and hazel eyes whispered from his right. "Now, we don't have time to fool around. Let's go, Sirius." He said to the grey-eyed man named Sirius before both of them craftily camouflaged into the shadows and entered the palace.

As Brooks stood at the entrance to the Slytherin palace, he noticed a royal mansion in the distance which he knew was the noble house of the Blacks. He averted his eyes, feeling uneasy as he noticed the filthy looks that the residents of the posh kingdom were throwing him. _I hate this place_ , he thought to himself.

His head snapped back to the palace entrance and his heart sped up when he heard voices shouting inside. Within minutes, the two dark-haired men returned, but this time, both were smirking widely and both were running for their lives.

"What are you doing? Come on, _run_." Sirius shouted at Brooks before grabbing his hand and pulling him along with him, his speed as fast as lightning.

Instead of wrenching his arm away, Brooks followed the men without so much as a glance behind him where the sound of footsteps was increasing. As soon as they took the left turn, a pack of burly looking soldiers piled into the street where the men were standing mere seconds ago.

"Someone looted the royal treasury! That blonde man named Brooks was lying. Where did he go? Catch him." Brooks heard Crabbe's voice shout in the distance. He was running as fast as his legs could carry him, both black-haired men on his either side, running along with him.

"I think they went right. Let's go," someone said before all the footsteps faded away from his hearing range. But despite that, the three men didn't stop running. They eventually lost count of how many turns they had taken or where they were headed. The only thing they knew was that they had to run, and that their rib cages felt like they would burst from the lack of oxygen.

"Stop, stop." Brooks wheezed after a few minutes, swiftly entering a thin alley with the two men. "We've…lost them." He hunched over and supported himself by placing his hands on his knees, trying to gain control of his breathing.

"Oh, take off this wig, Remus; it feels damn weird talking to you like this," Sirius said before clutching the blue-eyed man's blonde hair and easily pulling it off to reveal short, mouse-brown colored hair.

"Did you manage to get anything?" Remus asked, eyeing his two friends eagerly.

"We _always_ get what we want, Remus. Show him, James." Sirius said to the messy-haired man named James before reaching into the pocket of his black breeches and pulling out a bulging bag. James, Remus noted, had an equally filled bag and a roll of parchment.

"What is that?" He asked curiously.

"Don't know," James replied, "It was placed between all that treasure. So I just took it."

"Well, open it." Sirius said, walking behind James and looking down at the parchment in his hand. James nodded and unrolled the piece of paper before reading it quickly. After a few minutes, he simply shrugged and lifted his eyes from the parchment.

"Mate, what did it say?" Remus asked and Sirius nodded in agreement.

"Some strange deal between King Malfoy and King Riddle. It says that if Princess Lily Catherine Evans marries that git, Lucius, then Gryffindor gets quite a lot of gold. Seems like King Riddle is looking for more ways to make money, now that the kingdom has nothing left to satisfy his needs. As if he needs anymore wealth." James answered sourly. "It's disgusting. These people making deals over something like marriage. But then again, what else is to be expected of such nobility?"

"Ha, you're telling me." Sirius said bitterly, his eyes straying to the foreboding looking mansion in the distance. Remus placed a hand on his friend's shoulder in understanding. Sirius Black rarely spoke of his past and all the friends agreed to pretend that it did not exist. Yet, he knew that it was difficult for Sirius to just wipe everything away from his mind.

"So, Lily Catherine Evans, you say?" Remus asked, peering down at the parchment again. "Has anyone ever even seen her?"

"Well, I for one don't even want to," James replied in an offhand manner. "She probably feels that mere commoners are beneath her and making acquaintances with them will ruin her image. Typical nobility. Must be just like her uncle. They probably sit together and make plans on how to drive families into poverty."

"C'mon James, don't you think that judging someone you have never even met is a bit unfair?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows at his friend.

James thrust forward the deal and pointed at the bottom of the parchment where a signature in slightly hasty, slanted handwriting was visible. "She signed the bloody deal herself! What does that tell you about her? Selling herself for riches, isn't she?"

Remus sighed and shook his head slowly. "I guess so." He said resignedly before deciding that dropping the subject would be the best course of action. "James, why are you keeping that deal?" He asked as the messy-haired man rolled and pocketed the parchment.

"You never know," James replied with a wink. "It might prove to be useful in the future." That seemed to do the trick; Sirius instantly cheered up and joined the conversation.

"I say we blackmail them and get loads of gold in return." He suggested excitedly.

"Yeah, but we'll get caught once we do." Remus pointed out wisely.

"Maybe King Riddle can just serve as our next customer. What do you say? Up for another loot, James?" Sirius asked with a smirk on his handsome face.

"Sirius," Remus interjected again. "Riddle won't be this easy to fool; he's extremely cunning. And if I'm right–"

"You're always right,"

"–then stealing this contract is going to lead to a lot of mayhem. The Malfoys will be after our lives and so will Riddle. Don't you think it might be slightly difficult for us to enter the castle while those inhuman-looking guards are scouring the kingdom for us?"

Silence fell upon the three companions at this question, and the sound of dry leaves rustling in the wind seemed to echo in the dark alley. "Well, my friend," James said after a few moments of silence. "All we are in need of is brilliant planning."

With that said, he inconspicuously stepped out from their hideaway, not looking in the least-bit suspicious as he dug his hands into his pockets where lay a piece of parchment that had the ability to change their lives forever.

* * *

"Wake up, princess," Mary said softly, pulling away the curtains from the large windows in Lily's bedroom. The pool of auburn hair visible from beneath the soft covers seemed to stir slightly.

"'Morning, Mary" The princess muttered before sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "And for the thousandth time, it's Lily."

"I apologize, Lily." Mary smiled at her friend. "You are still going to go through with our plan, yes?"

"Of course." Lily replied confidently.

"Good," Mary beamed proudly. Then she suddenly sobered up, making the princess frown with concern. "What is it?" Lily asked anxiously before walking over to the brown-eyed girl. She squeezed her hand in reassurance and Mary sighed before continuing. "The Malfoys' treasury was looted last night and quite a bit of gold was taken" She paused. "But that is not the only thing they took. They…they stole the contract as well. The King is extremely furious."

Lily let go of Mary's hand and numbly stared at her for a few minutes before a huge grin spread across her red lips. "But Mary, this is amazing!" she exclaimed happily, holding the petite girl's shoulders and laughing loudly. "Uncle tricked me into signing that deal once, but I will not let him do it again. And now that there is no deal, I won't have to marry Prince Lucius or run away. Why are you upset, then?"

"Lily, the king has imposed even more taxes on the commoners in his anger," Mary added sadly. Lily's grin slipped from her face and she sighed, remembering that fateful day when she signed the wretched deal…

_Her head snapped up from the book she was reading; an old fairytale her father used to read to her when she was a child. The moon outside was pouring light into the massive library where books ranged from ancient beliefs to the latest developments in science. She craned her neck to see who had entered her haven for she had distinctly heard the sound of footsteps._

_Her beautiful features rearranged themselves to form a scowl when she saw who it was. "I knew I would find you here. You are just like Charles; wasting precious time among these meaningless books. It's despicable!"_

" _What do you want, uncle?" She asked with clenched teeth. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was hearing insults about her father._

_Her fists clenched under the table and her eyes burned with fire when he settled himself beside her around the table. It killed her to know that the man in front of her was her father's murderer and she couldn't do anything about it._

_Her emerald eyes reflected confusion when he pushed forward a piece of parchment. "Sign it." He said._

" _What is this?" She asked warily._

" _Why? Cannot read it yourself?" He snarled. She bit her lip to stop herself from snapping back a retort and pulled the parchment towards her. "I have always said that you do not deserve this royal blood. You are filth from inside; it's a disgrace."_

_Don't react, just read, she kept telling herself as her eyes ran over the words. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get past one line; her brain refused to process the formal words on the paper while the King's sour words rang in her ears._

Through this legal agreement, _the parchment read_ , the King of Slytherin, Abraxas Malfoy, has agreed to grant –

" _But then again, what else is to be expected when such filth is hereditary? Your father lived a worthless life, as do you."_

the King of Slytherin, Abraxas Malfoy, has agreed to grant one-fourth of his kingdom to –

" _Even his death was shameful; killed by an animal. It only shows how his blood was not really royal. He couldn't even hunt properly. He dishonored the family, and for years I couldn't even look up because of how ashamed his methods–"_

" _Stop it!" she screamed. "Stop saying lies about my father. He was an honest man who lived an honorable life. If you think I will sit here and listen quietly while you insult and badmouth him, you are very much mistaken, Your highness. You want me to sign this stupid parchment, don't you?" she gestured wildly to the paper before picking up a quill and hastily scratching her name on it._

" _Here. Take it." She pushed the parchment towards the King and abruptly stood up before storming out of the library, unaware of what she had just done._

"Lily? Are you listening to me?" Mary's voice broke the princess out of her trance.

"What? I apologize Mary. I was just reliving horrible memories. Seems like those are all I have left now." Lily smiled remorsefully.

Mary tilted her head and a look of concentration came over her features before she sighed heavily. "Don't get me wrong, Lily, I'm really happy that the contract is lost." She said slowly. "But, I just want to warn you; you need to be aware. I'm sure that the King will do anything in his power to get that deal back. But if he doesn't, then he might go as far as to starve you until you agree to sign another contract."

"Yes, but–"

"What I'm saying, is that no matter what happens, you still have to run away. Because if he gets that deal again, then we're back to square one. But if he doesn't, then His highness will not rest until he has forced you to sign it again." She paused and frowned before continuing, "And I think that this exactly why he wants to meet you."

"Uncle wants to meet me?"

"Yes. Right now, in fact. You better change," Mary said, pulling out a simple red gown from Lily's wardrobe and handing it to her. The princess took the dress before heading towards the royal bath. "Oh, Mary?" She stopped and turned around.

"Yes, Lily?"

"Any idea about who is behind the robbery?"

"The same as always," Mary replied, "The Marauders."

* * *

"You asked for me, your highness?" Lily walked into the throne room where the king was waiting for her. She did not even bother to curtsey or mask her displeased expression. No, both the occupants in the room had long crossed the point of meaningless formalities.

"I want you to sign something for me," the king said, getting up from the throne and striding over to a table where a piece of parchment, that was all too familiar to Lily, lay innocently. The princess immediately backed away a few steps and shook her head resolutely when he pushed the deal towards her.

"Not again. I'm never signing anything you give me, again." Lily said determinedly.

"I thought you might say that," Riddle said, rolling up the parchment and looking a bit too nonchalant for Lily's liking. "Fortunately, I have other methods of getting you to follow my orders."

"Follow your orders?" Lily repeated outrageously. "I'm not your servant! I am a princess. You cannot expect me to follow your orders."

"On the contrary, silly girl, I can. You see, despite the fact that you are a princess, you stand no chance against me. I am, after all, the ruler of this kingdom. Would you like me to demonstrate what I can do?" He asked rhetorically before snapping his fingers twice.

Immediately, two muscular guards entered the room and bowed down to the king. "Take the princess to her room and make sure she doesn't leave it. I want you to guard her door at all times and ensure that she doesn't get any food. But, of course, do inform me if she decides to comply with my wishes." He ordered without even glancing at the men.

The guards bowed once more before advancing towards Lily who scowled and held up her hand to stop them. "Do not bother; I can leave on my own." She said before turning on her heel and striding out of the room. The guards stared at each other with dumb expressions for a few seconds before following in her lead.

After the sound of footsteps faded away, King Riddle settled himself in the throne once more before snapping his fingers.

"Did you find any leads on the Marauders?" He asked the guard before him.

"N-no, Your highness," came the stuttering reply. "We do not know their names or how they look like, and the people of the kingdom are too loyal to them. No one is ready to reveal their identities. We have threatened to take away their houses and torture them, but they still refuse to say anything." He explained hastily.

The king's cold, black eyes burned with malice before he snarled, "Find someone. There must be _someone_ who prizes his life more than loyalty to these filthy Marauders." The guard looked doubtful but nodded in fear anyway.

"I want you to arrest and bring them to me. _Alive._ " Riddle sneered scornfully. "It is about time someone showed these bandits their right place."

* * *

**To be continued…**

 


	3. Her Escape

**Deception and Disguise**

**Her Escape**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"Psst," she made the sound as loudly as she could without attracting too much attention. "Lily," she whispered again before whipping around her head in all directions and making sure no one was in the royal garden. After ensuring that no one heard her, she anxiously continued her actions.

"Psst! Lily, come to the balcony."

Her brown eyes nervously skirted around in the dark, while she twirled the single strand of curly brown hair that was not hidden under the cloak, around her finger, before the princess finally came into view.

"Who is it?" she heard Lily's delicate, yet undoubtedly tired, voice ask from above.

"It's Mary," she answered in a loud whisper.

"Mary?" The princess's voice undeniably sounded much more gleeful this time. Mary craned her neck to look up at her friend, and with the help of the moonlight, she could make out Lily's features, more or less, clearly.

Her shiny auburn hair was whipping around her face in the slight wind and her green eyes were wide and sparkling, though Mary could clearly make out the weariness they held from being locked in a room for two days. _She is definitely weak,_ Mary observed, but couldn't deny it in a million years that Lily Evans looked as beautiful as ever.

"Mary, what are you doing down there?" Lily asked once she got a reply in affirmation from the brown-eyed girl.

"Trying to save you from this hell," Mary answered vaguely before rummaging through a sack placed in front of her feet. Lily peered down curiously and tried to figure out what Mary was doing, but couldn't see anything until her friend resurfaced…with a rope.

"Why do you have a–?"

"Lily, I'm going to throw this to you, and I need you to fasten it tightly to the railing, okay?" Mary rushed over her, still continuing to glance around the garden warily.

Lily barely had time to react before the rope was thrown her way. She fumbled a few times before finally catching it firmly. Despite throwing a doubtful glance at Mary, Lily followed her instructions and tied the rope to the railing securely.

"Now what?" she whispered into the dark, though her frantic nerves told her that she knew the answer already.

"I…I need you to climb down the rope." Mary answered hesitantly.

Lily's throat went dry and she gulped before choking out a response. "Mary, I have never done something like this before. It looks dangerous. I am not sure if I can –"

"Who are you talking to, Your Highness?" A gruff voice asked from the other side of the princess' bedroom door. Lily froze. "Who's in there? Open the door!"

"C'mon, princess! Hurry up," Mary urged frantically, pulling her hooded cloak more firmly around her small body.

Lily's eyes snapped back and forth between the girl below her balcony and the voices that continued to come from the other side of the door. "Open the door, Your Highness, or we'll be forced to break it open," One of the guards threatened.

Mary watched with growing anxiousness as the voices continued to grow louder from above. Just as she was preparing herself for the worst, she saw with widened eyes as the princess took a deep breath before swinging her porcelain-white legs over the railing. Mary's grin could not have been wider.

"Be careful," she warned when Lily's grip on the rope slipped for a split second.

They barely had time to rejoice the princess's first climbing success before the evident sound of a door breaking reached their ears. Mary quickly grabbed a stunned Lily's hand and pulled her below the balcony's ledge so that they were not visible to anyone from above.

"Where did she go? The King will kill us," the women heard the gruff voice say again frantically. "We have to find her. _Fast_."

Lily's heart jumped to her throat in unadulterated panic when the sound of footsteps could be heard directly above them. "There is a rope here," the guard shouted. "She ran away!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? She couldn't have gotten far away. Let's check in the garden," The one with the gruff voice said before the sound of running footsteps slowly faded away.

Mary immediately pushed the sack she still carried towards Lily. At the princess's confused look, she quickly explained, "It has an outfit that you could wear without being brought into attention. Here, take my cloak as well," she said before removing the piece of garment and offering it to her friend.

Lily's eyes watered up. "Mary, I…"

"You need to go, Lily. The guards could be here any moment," the brown-haired girl cut her off, apprehensively glancing around.

Getting a hold of her emotions, Lily nodded and wrapped the clock around her before covering her head with the hood for good measure. With a tight hug, she thanked Mary and hurried away from the garden. Without waiting for a second, the other girl entered the palace only moments before a pack of guards piled into the garden, from another entrance, to find it empty.

"I suppose it's time to inform the king, isn't it?" One of them asked, conveying all of their fearful expressions in that one sentence.

With growing trepidation, the guards entered the study room where the king was intently staring at a piece of parchment. The reflection of the flames in the fireplace was flickering on his face, but even that was unable to bring forth any sense warmth in his dark, cold eyes.

"May we enter, Your Majesty?"

King Riddle's head snapped towards the entrance and his eyes burned with such much malice that the guard involuntarily cringed. Unknown to the pack of burly-looking men, Riddle swiftly hid the parchment he was reading inside his robes. "I thought I said that I do not want to be disturbed, Goyle?"

"Actually, th-the p-princess–"

"Does she wish to speak with me?" the king eagerly asked without letting the other man finish. _If she agrees to sign the deal then all my problems will be solved,_ he thought inwardly, the old parchment in his robes feeling heavy. He was very well aware of how stubborn his filthy niece could be, and frankly, he was not sure that even depriving her from food would have been successful in weakening her resolve. _But seems like it worked,_ he thought with a sneer, seemingly unaware of the guard's anxiousness.

"Sh-She r-ran away," Goyle answered, breaking the king away from his delightful musings with stuttering words that seemed to echo in the suddenly eerily quiet room. Within a flash, Riddle had his sword out and covered in blood and one of the guards was lying on the marble floor. Dead.

All the men instinctively stepped away from Riddle with shocked and apprehensive expressions on their faces. When the king looked up again, his eyes seemed more cruel and pitiless than ever.

"You will find her, Goyle…if you do not wish for _this_ to be your fate." The king said calmly, as if he had not just committed a cold blooded murder. Despite his less than a whisper, hiss-like voice, the cold fire burning in his black eyes left no room for question in Goyle's mind that the king meant what he said.

With a quick nod of his head, Goyle bowed once before turning around and moving to exit the room as quickly as he could. "Wait," Riddle's high, cold voice halted him in tracks and he turned around to face the ruler of Gryffindor once more. The king was facing the fireplace, his back turned towards the guards as he slid his sword back into its sheath.

"The Malfoys should not know about this. Make sure that no posters are put up and the news of the princess's disappearance does not spread across the kingdom. You have less than a fortnight to find the girl by scouring Gryffindor, Goyle. Do whatever you have to," Riddle ordered.

After all the men finally scampered away from the study like scared rats, Riddle patted the parchment within his robes, not paying the least bit attention to the dead body lying near his feet.

"She _has_ to get married within this fortnight." He whispered into the empty room.

* * *

"Hey, you, girl! Wake up," An annoyed voice broke through Lily's sleep. She opened her emerald eyes to find an old, creepy looking man with dirty rags that covered his thin structure looming over her face with a disgruntled expression. "Get away from here. That's my wheelbarrow you're sleeping on," he snarled.

Lily quickly sat up and smoothed out her pair of black breeches and white shirt that Mary had given her in the sack. It had only been a matter of minutes before Lily had found herself lost in the streets of Gryffindor. Still, she had managed to find an alleyway where there was nothing but a wheelbarrow full of flour sacks.

Needless to say, her night had been a rough one.

"I beg your pardon, sir," she apologized quickly and jumped off the wheelbarrow before gracefully stretching her sore limbs. Making sure that the hood was pulled over her head to hide her vibrant hair, Lily faced the old man who now sported a stunned expression. "I could not find anywhere else to spend the night," she explained softly.

"Did you just call me…s- _sir?_ " He sputtered disbelievingly.

"Um…yes? What do people call you, then?" Lily asked distractedly as a cat near the old man's feet, a one she just noticed, hissed at her.

"Hey, Filch, who's the old hag? Your girlfriend?" A voice shouted from behind them and Lily whirled around to find a long-haired, tall, handsome man walking towards them. As his grey eyes fell on Lily, he stopped in his tracks and raised up his hands in a mock-surrender pose.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…I must say this is quite an improvement from your usual feline fetishes." Sirius smirked, walking towards Lily as he did so. Feeling self-conscious and afraid that the man would identify her, the princess backed away a few steps and pulled her cloak more firmly around her lithe body.

"Hey, hey, don't take the hag thing seriously, love," Sirius said, misinterpreting her actions for offensiveness. "It's just that Filch here does not usually hang around with beautiful faces like yours. What's your name?" he asked charmingly.

"Li-" she answered instinctively before realizing her mistake. Thinking fast, she replied with the first name that popped into her mind; her deceased mother's name. "Elisa. My name is Elisa, but people call me Liz."

"Sirius Black. Pleasure, love. Now, tell me Liz, how do you know Filch here?" Sirius asked, draping an arm over Lily's shoulder and surprising her with his friendliness. _This does not seem too bad,_ she thought happily as the black-haired boy continued to smile at her.

But before she could answer, Filch stepped in. "I don't know this girl. She was sleeping on my wheelbarrow. Looked pretty fishy if you ask me," he narrowed his beady eyes at Lily, which was accompanied by another hiss from the cat.

"Well it's a good thing no one's asking you then, isn't it?" Sirius retorted, making the corner of Lily's lips twitch in response.

Filch very much looked like he wanted to snarl in anger, but accepting his defeat, the thin man simply turned to the cat and said, "Let's go, Mrs. Norris," and exited the alley with his wheelbarrow, leaving the two younger people alone.

"You're not from here, are you? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have missed a beautiful face like yours," Sirius said, making Lily blush at the compliment. _No, this didn't seem too bad at all._ "I'm from the Ravenclaw kingdom," she answered easily enough.

"I see, then what are you – Oh hell! I need to rush," he suddenly stopped asking his question, for which Lily could not have been more grateful. But she could not deny that she was disappointed to see him go. After all, it was not every day that the princess made new friends like Sirius Black.

"I'm sorry Liz. There is um…something I need to take care of. I'll see you later," he waved her goodbye before turning around and leaving.

Just as Lily started wondering whether it would be safe to leave the alleyway without risking getting caught by her uncle's guards or not, her stomach grumbled, giving her a painful reminder of the fact that she had not eaten a morsel of food for over two days.

With reluctant and careful steps, she entered the busy streets of Gryffindor which instantly welcomed her with bright sunlight and the voices of the citizens in the bustling kingdom. Lily nervously darted her eyes around, fearing that someone would identify her. But her features quickly rearranged into a confused frown when she couldn't spot even a single poster with her face on it. _Surely uncle would have noticed that I am missing by now,_ she thought.

"Watch out where yeh're goin', miss," A booming voice broke Lily's train of thoughts and she looked up to realize that she was almost about to collide with a fruit cart. She immediately opened her mouth to apologize to the person, but when she had to crane up her neck to an indescribable amount of distance, the words dried up in her throat.

In front of the princess stood the largest man she had ever met – and it was saying something, considering the beastly-looking guards that patrolled the Gryffindor castle. The man had an immense amount of hair and a very bushy beard and mustache that almost made it impossible to spot his mouth within all that hair.

But despite his rough appearance, the man had incredibly friendly black eyes which made him seem as harmless as a fly. Lily was certain she could spot a hint of amusement in them as well.

"I apologize, dear sir," she said, staring at her feet and blushing lightly as she realized that she had been staring at him openly. Her head painfully snapped up again in surprise when the giant man started laughing.

"Sir? The name's Rubeus Hagrid! Haven' seen a polite one like yeh for a long time. What's yer name?" The man named Hagrid asked with a hearty grin, which made a small smile grow on the princess' face as well.

"Elisa," Lily lied, trying not to feel too bad about it. The man was really kind. "But you can call me Liz."

"'s good ter meet yeh, Liz. Where yeh from?" He asked, steering them away from the main street and into a stall where he emptied the goods from his overflowing cart.

"I just arrived from Ravenclaw," Lily replied, her eyes unintentionally straying towards the wide range of fruits in front of her. She licked her lips, trying to refrain from reaching out and taking a bite out of the juicy-looking apples.

At Hagrid's loud chuckle, Lily was forced to make eye contact with him again. A small questioning frown settled over her features when the man just smiled at her.

"Jus' take some if yeh're hungry, Liz." He suggested, reading her expression correctly. Lily blushed in embarrassment and suddenly wished that the cloak would completely cover her burning face.

"I am unable to buy anything at the moment, Hagrid. I am afraid that I do not have money to pay you with," she answered meekly.

"I didn' ask fer any, did I?" Hagrid replied with a wink before picking up an apple with his large hand and offering it to the princess. Lily looked down at the fruit, shocked, before a blinding smile spilled across her lips.

"Thank you so much," she eagerly took the apple from his hand before biting into it with a crunch. Hagrid only seemed to smile wider at the look of happiness on her face.

"Like I said before, yeh're too polite, Liz," he repeated, patting the empty spot beside him and offering Lily to sit down. She did as she was asked with a contented smile. _Life outside the castle is definitely much better,_ Lily thought as she took another bite from the fruit.

"So, wha' brings yeh ter Gryffindor?" Hagrid asked once Lily was done eating. "I mean, the kingdom isn' really known fer it's ruler, yeh know?" he frowned in distaste. Lily bit her lip and looked away, unable to reply anything to that question.

"Speakin' of 'im," Hagrid continued, unaware of the fact that the girl next to him had not replied to his question at all, "here come his guards. Askin' and searchin' for the Marauders again, no doubt. Why doesn' the king jus' give up? No one's gonna spill a word 'bout those boys," he continued, but the princess had stopped listening a long time ago.

With frantic eyes, Lily shot up from her spot next to Hagrid and quickly thanked him for everything. At the giant man's incessant questioning, she hurriedly explained, "I just remembered that I have to do something important. I promise to visit you soon, Hagrid. Goodbye,"

With that said she did not waste even a single moment and took off in the opposite direction, her speed as fast as lightning. Unused to such exercises, the princess soon became tired and her legs ached from all the running, but her fiery determination forced her to keep going.

Suddenly, Lily doubled back and noticed an adjoining street which was much narrower and wouldn't fall in plain sight due to the shadows cast over it. Without hesitation, she entered it and peeked out by leaning slightly to make sure that the guards wouldn't follow her. Releasing a deep sigh when she felt that she was safe, the princess allowed her heart to regain its normal pace.

Until…a voice whispered in her ear.

"What did you steal?"

Startled within an inch of her life, an inevitable scream burst from Lily's lips which was instantly halted when a large hand clamped over her mouth. With wide, shocked eyes, she looked up slowly and strangely enough, her heart started thumping with a new vigor.

The most beautiful and alluring shade of hazel she had ever seen seemed to penetrate Lily's soul and leave her breathless. Even in the darkness, she could make out the sharp features and unruly hair of the man towering over her. He was handsome. Not unlike many princes she had met before.

And yet, his appearance was nothing like those abnormally neat and immaculate princes.

This man was…ruggedly handsome.

"Don't scream. They're still here, you know," James whispered, staring intently into the pair of emerald eyes that just wouldn't let him turn away. "And we wouldn't want you to get caught with whatever goody you've stolen, would we?"

Lily's features immediately morphed from wide-eyed surprise to an indignant frown. _Do I look like a thief?_ She thought angrily. Instinctually, she tried to move the man's hand away from her mouth but realized that he had her arm pinned against the wall as well. Things were definitely not looking too good now.

James merely smirked in amusement when the girl in front of him glared heatedly. He could feel her trying to wriggle her arm free from his grasp, and when she failed, it only made him smirk wider. She was different than all the other girls who only wanted reasons to touch him, James realized, intrigued by the green-eyed woman.

After a few more moments, the pair in the shadowed street heard the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer before it slowly faded away, signaling the departure of the guards.

The princess closed her eyes and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Dropping his hand from her mouth and letting go of her arm, James stepped back from the girl and without a single word, entered the main street as he tried to ignore the rapid pace of his heart. He confusedly looked down at his palm which was starting to itch and tingle slightly on the spot where the girl's lips had been.

After feeling the man's hand disappear from her mouth, Lily opened her eyes just in time to see him turn around the corner and exit the dark street which, the princess realized with mortification, was infested with rats and spiders.

With a disgusted squeak, Lily quickly fled into the bright sunlight where she saw the man from before walking with long strides, his back facing her.

"Excuse me! Can you please wait?" she called out, trying to catch up with him.

From the sheer shock of the polite plea, James halted in his tracks and turned around. His hazel eyes unknowingly widened at the sight of her pearl-white skin which had felt incredibly smooth under his touch. _If only she would take off that hood,_ he thought absentmindedly before realizing what he was doing.

James Potter did not have time to waste on girls. No, that was Sirius Black.

"What?" the messy-haired man snapped in reply when Lily finally caught up with him.

The princess had to admit he seemed even more handsome when he was not hidden in the shadows. His tall frame, healthily tanned skin and well-built structure certainly made him attractive.

Sadly, she could not say the same for his manners.

"I wanted to ask how you could accuse me of stealing something." Lily answered hotly, her patience quickly running out. "It is impossible to judge someone like that. You do not even know me."

James raised an eyebrow at her words. He had never encountered someone who could convey their frustration so clearly, yet remain so verbally polite. Yes, she was definitely different from all other girls he had ever met.

"I know who you are," James finally replied, his smirk back in place.

Lily froze. _Surely_ this man could not know who she was.

"You-you know me?" she asked hesitantly, touching her head and making sure that her hood was still on and did not reveal her auburn strands.

"Of course. It seemed pretty obvious to me," James continued, taking enjoyment in the girl's growing uneasiness. "With the way you were behaving near those guards, I'd say you definitely stole something. But I'm sure they weren't out here looking for such amateur thieves, you know."

Lily was having trouble deciding whether to be relieved that this man didn't _know_ her or to be angered by the fact that he was accusing her of theft. The overpowering emotion of outrage must have shown on her face because the man rolled his brown eyes.

" _Please,_ don't pretend to be offended or anything. No one actually cares if you steal or not. Riddle's a bloody swine…he doesn't even deserve a single penny," he scoffed.

Lily's emerald green eyes widened at his language for a second before she promptly burst into laughter. She couldn't have agreed more with this person, whoever he was, that her uncle was terrible. But he certainly managed to portray her thoughts using more…colorful words… that she as a princess wasn't really accustomed to saying or hearing.

This girl had beautiful laughter, was the only thought running through James Potter's mind at that point. Strangely enough, it made him smile without his permission. She actually _laughed_ , did not try to suppress it with her hand like others did. It was admirable.

"What's your name?" he suddenly found himself blurting out, the smile still etched across his face.

Lily's laughter died down and she looked up at the man in surprise. Never in her life had anyone made her feel so many different emotions at once than this person had in the past fifteen minutes. Shock, anger, happiness, surprise…he just got to her.

And for one, crazy, inexplicable moment, Lily had a strong urge to just give up this disguise and give him her _real_ name. Because suddenly, she didn't think she could straight-out lie to him when his eyes were piercing hers like this.

Luckily, she didn't have to.

"Hey, James! I see you've met Liz here."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	4. Come With Us

**Deception and Disguise**

**Come with Us**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

Lily whipped her head around to the source of the voice, and found her newest friend, Sirius Black, standing there with a smirk on his face.

Beside him, the princess noticed, was another man she had never met. He had light-brown colored hair and friendly looking blue eyes that were glancing between her and James curiously. He gave her a small smile when he noticed her staring at him.

"Her name's Liz?" James directed his question at Sirius, though his eyes never left the girl in front of him.

Lily looked back towards James and raised an eyebrow at his manners. How rude of him to speak as if she was not standing right there _,_ she thought instantly _._ Nevertheless, Lily kept her cool and replied as politely as she could. "Actually, my name is Elisa. And you are?"

"James Potter," the messy haired man answered, his hazel eyes appraising Lily.

Feeling uncomfortable, the princess merely nodded and looked away from him before turning to face Sirius with a smile. "It is nice to see you again, Sirius." She greeted before her eyes flitted towards the other man.

"Hello. My name is Elisa." She introduced herself politely, just catching herself in the last moment and refraining from curtsying.

"Hi, Elisa. I'm Remus Lupin," he said with a smile.

"So, Liz," Sirius jumped in, draping his arm over Lily's shoulder casually as silence stretched between them, "what were you and James talking about before we came?"

"Elisa here was just confessing her crime, weren't you?" James said before Lily could even open her mouth to reply. Her emerald eyes snapped to his hazel ones and she glared at the man with a look of annoyance that rarely came across her soft features.

"No. I think I already made it clear, James Potter, that I do not steal," Lily gritted out vehemently, while James continued to look at her in amusement.

"Is that so, _Liz?_ Then you have yet to tell me why you were running away from Riddle's guards like that." He retorted, while Sirius kept darting his eyes interestedly between the two hotheads.

"James…" Remus warned softly, only to be cut off.

"Come on, Elisa. Tell us why you were hiding from those guards and prove me wrong," James challenged, folding his arms across his chest and smirking at the girl's flustered reaction.

Thrown off guard by the question, Lily stuttered for a few seconds before sighing heavily. As much as it pained her to do so, she had to give in to James Potter's taunting.

"Alright, I did steal something," she lied, hoping against hope that these men wouldn't turn her in. Judging by the smug expression on James Potter's face and absolutely gleeful one on Sirius', the princess decided that she had made the right choice by lying.

These men definitely did not base their life on morals, Lily concluded.

"Well, what is it?" Sirius asked excitedly, making Lily panic once more. Searching her clothes for something would be useless, she thought nervously before realization hit her and the princess thrust her hand forward towards the curious men.

"Here. I stole this ring from the princess," she answered, gesturing towards the band of gold with emerald stones that rested on her forefinger. It was her mother's.

Remus grinned, impressed, and Sirius let out a low whistle while James merely continued to stare at her. Lily had fleeting doubt that his hazel eyes could see right through her act. "You…you aren't going to turn me in, are you?" she finally asked anxiously, her eyes glued on James'.

"Are you kidding me, Liz?" Sirius asked incredulously. "Why would _we_ turn you in? It would seem a bit unfair, considering we're the Mar–"

"How did you get into the palace?" James asked loudly, cutting off his best friend in mid-sentence. He could not trust this girl…not yet.

Lily's heart thumped rapidly against her rib cage in nervousness and she bit her lip, causing James to follow the movement unknowingly. She really was beautiful, he thought distractedly, his hands itching to reach out and pull the hood off her head. _Why is she even wearing it?_ He wondered with a frown.

"I used to work there," Lily finally replied, sighing with relief inwardly. "But the king was very cruel and did not pay me enough, so I had to regrettably resolve to stealing this." She continued, basking in the feeling of enjoyment she got from badmouthing her uncle.

"Ah, sneaky liar! You said you were from Ravenclaw," Sirius said, grinning nonetheless before raising his hand to ruffle her hair. "Uh…Liz, why do you have a cloak on? And with a hood, too?" he asked, dropping his hand back to his side.

"Yes, it _is_ pretty odd," Remus added, squinting up at the sun. "It's actually really hot today. The hood doesn't make sense."

Lily wrung her hands nervously, which did not go unnoticed by James, before sighing and deciding to give them half the truth. "Well, my hair is a very noticeable hue of red. It stands out. If I take the cloak off, I fear that the guards will instantly recognize me." She answered.

James scoffed before he could help himself. "I already told you that these guards are not looking for thieves like you. They are out here looking for the Marauders."

"That may well be the case, James Potter, but it does not mean that I should not be careful." Lily replied indignantly. What was this man's problem anyway?

James glared at the girl in front of him with a frown creasing his eyebrows. She made him feel…weird. Her short temper, mysterious personality and unnecessary politeness intrigued him to no end, and he was sure that if he stayed near Elisa any longer, he would lose his sanity.

"Very well, then. Have a nice time being careful," James finally said with a shrug before turning to his friends. "Let's go."

"James, wait!" Remus admonished with a firm voice when he noticed Lily's crestfallen expression. Once his friend turned around, he continued. "Liz, I haven't seen you around here before, and seeing as you're not from Ravenclaw, where do you live?" he asked nicely.

"I was the princess's permanent maid, you see. So I had to live in the palace with her," Lily lied again. "So I…I don't really have a home." She continued, knowing very well that she couldn't go and live in Mary's house, as they hardly had enough money to feed themselves, let alone Lily as well.

"Oh! So _that's_ why you were sleeping in the wheelbarrow," Sirius exclaimed suddenly.

James' head immediately snapped towards Lily, who was staring at the ground with burning cheeks. He gaped at her with a shocked expression, feeling immensely guilty when he realized how rude he had been to her. After a few moments of silence, he sighed heavily, suddenly feeling worn out. "Come with us," he said softly.

The princess's emerald eyes widened in surprise and she raised her head to stare at James in shock. "You want me to come with you?" she asked numbly. When all he gave her in response was a slight nod of his head, Lily continued, "but…but it would only risk your lives. I cannot let anyone do that for me."

James Potter simply scoffed again, and Lily was disgruntled to notice that Sirius and Remus looked amused as well. Was there something wrong in what she said?

"Stop flattering yourself. No one here is _risking_ their life for you," James said, "In fact; I'd say you would be putting yourself in more danger by staying with us."

Lily frowned when she saw Remus and Sirius nod in agreement with James Potter. _These people have no idea how wrong they are_ , she thought sadly. With a sigh, the princess shook her head. "I believe you are mistaken; the guards will be looking for me, not you."

At that, the three men promptly burst into laughter, annoying Lily to no end. Why were they being so nonsensical?

"Trust us, darling, you couldn't be more wrong," Sirius smirked mysteriously.

Lily opened her mouth to argue again when she suddenly remembered that she was not the only one hiding from the guards in that filthy street. With an inquisitive expression, she turned to face James again. "Why were _you_ hiding from the guards, James Potter?" she asked.

With an almost imperceptible shake of his head, Remus stopped Sirius from answering Liz's question. _This one is for someone else,_ he decided, looking at his third counterpart expectantly.

James stared into the girl's emerald eyes with a calculating look. For all he knew, Elisa could have been a spy for King Riddle who was looking for the Marauders. And from what she said, she didn't even actually live amongst the commoners. For all he knew, this short tempered woman who refused to even take off her hood could kill them in their sleep and no one would know. And for all he knew, she could turn them in the moment he gave her their identity.

But from what he knew, James didn't think she would.

He was ready to trust her.

And he just hoped she wouldn't break it.

"We're the Marauders, Elisa." James finally answered, making sure that there were no guards around. "Riddle's men are scouring the city for _us._ We were the ones who stole the contract."

Sirius grinned happily and Remus smiled approvingly at James for letting his guard down. But all of this went unnoticed by the third Marauder who was busy waiting for a reaction from the green-eyed girl.

Elisa, Remus was anxious to notice, looked nothing less than stunned.

The princess felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. She didn't even know how to react. These men were the Marauders; the gang of bandits who were known throughout Gryffindor and all the surrounding kingdoms for their deceptiveness and stealth.

And they incidentally happened to have stolen a contract that decided her fate.

"Hey, Liz, you alright, love?" Sirius asked concernedly as he noticed the girl's pale face and troubled eyes.

"Yes, yes. I am okay." Lily replied, somehow managing to gather her composure. "I am just a little tired."

"Well, then, come with us to our house. You can take some rest there," Remus offered with a smile. But the grin slowly faded away when he noticed her hesitancy.

"I…I am still not sure about this," Lily said, wringing her hands yet again.

"Why? What happened to 'it would only risk your lives'? Afraid already, are you?" James asked, narrowing his eyes challengingly.

 _Oh, if only he knew,_ Lily thought remorsefully. Staying with the Marauders would mean creating a dangerous pack in itself. The king would be thrilled if he managed to catch all of them together; the contract, the culprit _and_ the victim.

Could she really do this? Lily wondered, her eyes flitting from one Marauder to the other.

But suddenly, she realized the benefits of staying with these men. Not only would she make new friends and have a place to stay, but being with the Marauders would give her ample reason to stay away from Riddle's guards without drawing any suspicion.

With a heavy sigh, she made up her mind.

"Alright. I will go with you." Lily said with a small smile.

Sirius cheered loudly, causing many of the passing citizens to roll their eyes at him, and Remus patted her shoulder with a smile. But Lily's eyes were trained on the hazel ones, the ones that seemed the happiest and the most relieved, even though the man himself did not let any emotions cross his face.

"Come on, then. Or do you plan on standing here all day?" James asked rhetorically before turning around and letting the ghost of a smile grace his lips. He continued walking once he made sure that everyone was following.

"Does everyone here know that you are the Marauders?" Lily asked conversationally, feeling somewhat amused by the jealous glances that some of the women were throwing her.

"Hmm…mostly," Remus replied thoughtfully, "Except for a few exceptions, of course."

"Like who?"

"Well, there's Filch and his creepy cat, for instance," Sirius winked at her, making the princess laugh. The Marauders found themselves smiling at the merry sound.

"And all these people never tell the guards? Because I have heard that they are starved as a punishment," Lily inquired curiously.

"No, they are all trustworthy. Besides, we never let them go without food," Remus answered as the group rounded a corner. "If that were the case, all of us would've been dead by now, what with the taxes Riddle keeps charging whenever he pleases."

"So you _do_ give away whatever you loot to the people! I thought it was only a rumor," Lily said, feeling a warm sensation settle inside her as she realized that the Marauders were genuinely good men.

"You didn't think we kept all of it to ourselves, did you?" Remus asked, surprised.

"Well, that is what all the royal families would say," she muttered, feeling guilty for some reason.

The truth was that Lily had been forced, on more than one occasion, to join mindless gossip about gowns and jewels with the other princesses. Only on certain nights would she be lucky enough to hear something intelligible and informative like the conditions of the kingdom. Mary wasn't much help in this situation either, as she had to stay inside the palace at all times except when she had to go and give money to her family.

So this left the princess to believe whatever those beauty-obsessed royals had to say on the matter.

"Yeah well, all the royal families are liars," James suddenly turned around and snapped, surprising Lily with his tone. "I bet the princess – what's her name again? – Oh yes, Lily Catherine Evans, has been happily spurring all these tales with her uncle and you have been believing them, haven't you?"

"James," Remus reproved sternly.

Lily quickly pushed back the tears that had been threatening to spill down her face. It was not common for the princess to lose her composure so quickly, but the accusing tone of James Potter just seemed to get to her. Like everything else about him did.

And somehow, Lily couldn't bring herself to defend her honor. Because she knew that what he was accusing her of was very trivial compared to the actual truth.

Oh how she wished she could be brave enough to do something for the people. _Father would have definitely done something,_ Lily thought ashamedly.

Remus' reprimanding voice jolted James back into his senses. He didn't know what had made him snap like that; he just knew that hearing Elisa have so little faith in them just made his blood boil. He sighed guiltily when he noticed the girl's hurt expression.

But James Potter didn't know how to apologize. Especially not to women.

"Look, we're here. Let's go," he said softly, trying to get rid of the awkward situation and seem apologetic at the same time.

Lily took a deep breath and nodded before smiling reassuringly at Sirius and Remus who were regarding her with sympathetic looks. With the smile still on her face, she looked up at the Marauders' house.

Or what _they_ thought was a house, but was actually more like a pigsty.

Lily's eyes widened as she entered the decrepit looking structure and she had to immediately cover her nose to block out the stench that welcomed her. The princess was sure that these men had never seen a mop in their life, if the floor which was strewn with clothes, papers, shoes and what looked like rotten cheese was anything to go by.

"Liz, darling, welcome to Godric's Hollow," Sirius bellowed in welcome.

"Well, we know it's a bit of a mess," Remus said understandingly, "but what can I say, we're men." He smiled, but the gesture was not shared by the princess who continued to look distressed.

"Where will I be sleeping?" Lily finally managed to find her voice, her eyes unknowingly widening in disgust as she took in the cobwebs that filled every nook and cranny of Godric's Hollow.

"Well, we do have a spare bedroom upstairs but it's not been slept in since…uh, since when, James?" Sirius asked inquisitively.

"Since forever," came the bored reply. "So you might find a few lizards and spiders up there." Lily gulped at the response and stared incredulously as the men simply plopped down between all the mess and settled themselves comfortably.

"I apologize for saying so, but this place is incredibly dirty and unhygienic." Lily said, unable to control herself when a fat rat scurried by. "Do you have a broom or mop?"

"There might be one in the kitchen, I think," Remus answered her, looking thoughtful. "But I can't be too sure…I don't remember when the last time we cleaned was."

"Yes, I can see." Lily mumbled under her breath. "Do all of you mind going upstairs while I clean this place? I am afraid I cannot bear to see it like this." She asked more loudly.

The men simply shrugged in response and stood up from their spots before trudging up the stairs. Lily was horrified to notice that the stairs were coated with such a thick layer of dust that the Marauders left shoe prints on them.

"I bet you did not see this coming, did you, Mary?" Lily complained to the empty room before sighing and heading over to the 'kitchen' which actually looked more like a dump yard for food. Gathering her courage, the princess wrenched open what looked like a broom closet and immediately started coughing as dust flew into her face.

Once she was sure that everything was visible again, Lily carefully rummaged through the closet and pulled out a battered looking bucket and mop along with what she hoped was bar of soap, since she could not be sure because of its grotesque shape.

Contrary to popular belief about princesses, Lily did know the basics of household cleaning. Despite Mary's insistence, she always helped her friend in arranging her own room by making the bed or folding her dresses.

But as the princess stood in between a house full of men's grime and stench, she realized, for the first time in her life, exactly how much more she needed to learn.

"Right. Time to get started, Your Highness," Lily said to herself, dipping the mop into the bucket full of soap water.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	5. There is a Spark

**Deception and Disguise**

**There is a Spark**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"What's taking her so long?" James complained from his precarious spot on the edge of the terrace where the Marauders were currently lounging. It had been a good few hours ago that they had been shooed away from their own…bedroom, if you must.

And by now, the messy-haired Marauder was getting incredibly impatient.

He suddenly sat up with wide eyes, not the least bit perturbed by the fact that a small slip of his limb, and he would fall straight on top of a vegetable stall. "Do you think she's stealing something?" he asked suspiciously.

"Stop being a hypocrite, James. You know she wouldn't do that. Liz seems like a nice person," Remus admonished, not bothering to open his eyes as he lay peacefully on the ground, his arms supporting the back of his head.

"You can never judge a person based on how they _seem_ ," James mumbled, but lay back down again nevertheless. "We have fooled many people using the same technique, Remus. Have you forgotten?"

"No I haven't," the sandy haired man was now frowning irritably, "but your suspicions are unwarranted, James. She has no reason to be stealing something from us; we're not really walking around with treasure buried in our pockets, you know…well, not always anyway," he added with a small smirk.

"Yeah," piped in Sirius, startling the other two men. He sure was good at pretending to be asleep. "And what has gotten into you, mate? You were being bloody rude to her. She was absolutely, if not way too much, polite to us, and you were biting her head off! Did she say something to you before we came?" he asked curiously, using his elbow to prop his head up so that he could get a better look at his best friend.

James sighed tiredly as Remus opened his eyes and turned his expectant gaze towards the dark-haired man as well. "I honestly don't know," he answered with a confused shrug, "She just seems to get to me. She's so…so different…and mysterious. I just have a feeling; it's like I know she's hiding something. I can just tell," he finished, staring out at the town.

His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the Gryffindor castle.

"If you're so against her," Remus asked softly, observing his troubled friend, "Then why did you ask her to come with us in the first place?"

James frowned, pondering over that question. _Why did I,_ he asked himself, absent-mindedly gazing at the orange glow of the sky as the sun slowly dipped into the horizon. Well, he knew that he was no monster, so it was natural for him to feel pity for the girl. _Yes, that's what it was; pity._

Yet, when he gave that answer to his friends, and Remus and Sirius shared a look, James Potter knew as well as them that it was a straight out, bold _lie._

"Excuse me," A soft voice called from the threshold. As the three sets of curious eyes glanced at Lily, she gave them a small smile. "I am done. You may go down now. I have tried my best to clean everything; I think it will do for now." She said, stepping aside and allowing the men to leave.

Giving the girl appreciative grins, Sirius and Remus marched past her, the former throwing in a jolly wink as well. Lily tried to not let her smile waver as the last occupant approached her with an expressionless, appraising stare.

Her hands were tightly clasped in front of her, James observed with an indecipherable raise of his eyebrow, and her shirt had a splotch of what looked like rotten fruit on it. She smelt of sweat and soap; the combination, surprisingly, not too revolting. Her emerald green eyes were dull from fatigue and her full red lips were pressed together in a tight smile.

Oh, and the damned hood was still on.

"You have dust on your face," was all he said before walking right past her. No smile. No gratitude. No nothing. The princess sighed dejectedly. _Why does he hate me so much?_ she thought before following him down the now clean stairs.

"Wow, Liz, this place is sparkling," Sirius yelled happily, throwing Lily a dazzling grin. She blushed at the compliment, knowing very well that it was definitely not 'sparkling'. But she was also aware of the fact that to these men it was the cleanest it could get, and there, Lily was safe.

Unfortunately, they were not so clueless in the matters of food.

"What's wrong with this bread?" James asked, picking up the stone-hard piece of grub that was half-burnt and stared at it with a horrified expression. Lily coughed in embarrassment.

"I tried to bake it from some of the good supplies I found. I apologize; I am not very good at these things," she said, biting her lip and staring at the men anxiously.

" _You_ are not good at these things?" James asked skeptically before his friends got a chance to speak up. "Didn't you work at the palace before? I would have thought that you'd know all about cooking and stuff. Isn't that what happens there all the time? Big parties and amazing food?"

"Not all the time," Lily frowned, feeling her temper rising at his biting comments. "Besides, that was not my job at the palace. There were different people for different chores."

"Oh, I thought you used to spend every living moment trying to please the princess." he said, his eyes hardening with each word. James didn't even know why he was getting so furious all of a sudden. "I was almost sure she even made you taste her food for poisoning, considering your status."

It was only a second later that he realized how insulting his comment sounded.

"No! You are wrong!" Lily shouted, tears of anger stinging in her eyes. "Not everyone is the same, James Potter. You might be right about the fact that most royal people are not very nice, but you cannot judge everyone the same way. Maybe you should stop and think about what you say and how hurtful they can sound before actually doing so," she suddenly paused, catching the horrified expressions on the men's faces and realizing that her eyes were swimming with tears.

Lily quickly turned around and wiped them away before sighing and shaking her head regretfully. "I am afraid I'm very tired. I think I will just retire for the night," she said with a defeated voice; a stark contrast to mere seconds ago. James felt his heart clench painfully.

"Aren't you gonna eat something?" Sirius asked gently, and Remus nodded his head. The princess glanced back and smiled sadly.

"No, thank you. I think there is not enough food for all of us, anyway." She declined politely. "Oh, and the gravy is not too bad actually; I tried it. The bread is burnt but it should taste fine with the gravy; maybe soften it up a little bit?" she suggested before turning around to climb the stairs.

But before she left, Lily turned around again to look James straight in the eye. "I really did what I could, you know. And it upsets me that I could not please you," _or anyone,_ she thought morosely before leaving the room.

"Mate, you were a right prat to her," Sirius immediately whirled on James as soon as the green-eyed girl was out of hearing range. James sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair, trying not to cower under the steely glare that Remus was throwing him.

His friends could get pretty scary sometimes; James knew that.

"Go apologize to her, James," Remus said wearily, shaking his head in disappointment before walking over to have his supper with Sirius. "We're gonna sit here and wait until you do," he added, positioning himself around the recently cleaned wooden table. Sirius glared at James and nodded in agreement.

"Fine, I'll go," James relented with a huff. The truth was that the Marauder knew well and good that what he said was uncalled for, if the churning guilt in his stomach was anything to go by. But if there was one thing James Potter loathed to do, it was admitting that he was wrong.

So, preparing his ego to take a huge blow, James sighed and made his way up the stairs.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ that man," Lily grumbled as she adjusted the fresh sheets on the bed in her new room. It had taken her about two hours just to clean up the cobwebs and get rid of the rats in the room, and the princess was pretty proud of her handiwork. _Unlike some people,_ she thought scathingly.

"Not a single 'thank you' or 'sorry'," she continued, her hands furiously going over the same spots to flatten the already crease-less surface. "Would it have killed the man to just apologize for his rudeness?" She began unbuttoning her cloak as she prepared to go to bed. "Stupid James Potter." She took off the hood and hung it on the bed post, inwardly smiling as she realized that it was the rudest word she had used out loud in _years_.

The Marauders were already rubbing off on her.

"Elisa?" Lily heard someone knock from the other side of the door. She could tell from the voice that it was James. With a sigh, the princess mentally prepared herself for another verbal spat and walked over to the door. She wrenched it open to find the man's fist raised in the air, as if to knock again.

"Yes?" she asked warily, trying hard not to notice how handsome he looked with the moonlight illuminating his face and making his features appear sharper.

But James was long past the point of trying not to notice _her_ beauty.

Her green eyes that looked up at him questioningly seemed to practically sparkle in the dark night; full of fire and life. Her pearl-white skin was glowing in the moonlight, adding to her already radiant beauty. But – _oh God_ – James knew the moment he caught sight of her hair that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. The thick curtain of auburn curls were cascading down her back like a waterfall of blood – _but oh, what blood!_ Some of the strands were pushed towards one side, running down the milky-white skin of her collarbone, and – James tried not to stare – a few of them disappeared down her shirt. She had removed her boots, he noticed, and was now almost a foot shorter than him. But – he had to hold back a smile – she looked anything but vulnerable.

"Yes?" Lily repeated a little louder, "Did you want something?"

His heart thudded loudly in his chest. "I…uh," he stopped and cleared his throat before putting on an expressionless mask. "Remus thought you would need this," James lied tonelessly, pushing forward the bundled up blanket towards Lily.

The princess stared into his hazel eyes intently. _Remus_ thought she would – ?

"Thank Remus for me, will you, James Potter?" Lily said softly, taking the blanket from him, and not breaking eye contact while doing so. James merely nodded his head in response. "Well, have a pleasant night. I shall see you tomorrow," she continued in the same tone, taking a few steps back into the room to close the door.

"Okay, stop." James suddenly blurted out, pushing his hand against the door to keep it open. "That's not the only thing I came here for," he added, looking very much like it pained him to do so.

Lily waited patiently.

"I came to…to apologize," James mumbled, loud enough for Lily to hear and for a smug smile to spread across her face. "I shouldn't have shouted at you like that." He sighed heavily, looking relieved to have finally gotten it out.

"Okay, you are forgiven," Lily smiled before making to close the door again.

"Hey!" James frowned, impeding her actions once more. "What do you mean 'you are forgiven'? That's it? Aren't you going to apologize too?"

"Me? Why should I apologize? I did not do anything wrong!" Lily claimed indignantly.

"You were practically screaming yourself hoarse downstairs, and for what reason, too! You were actually _defending_ the stupid royalty!" James threw his hands up into the air in frustration, "If that's 'doing nothing wrong', then I'd like to know what is!"

"Well, you asked for it! I was trying to be nice to all of you; trying to show how grateful I was, but you have been nothing but rude to me since the beginning. I do not know what I did to you or why you seem to dislike me so much, but let me tell you one thing, James Potter," She fumed, the intensity of her glare matching that of the messy-haired man's, "If you expect me to apologize to you just because you are too proud to admit that you are in the wrong, then let me tell you that you are sorely mistaken!"

With that said, Lily promptly shut the door on his face with a resounding _slam,_ her face flushed in anger and frustration.

* * *

"Hey, Sirius?"

"Yeah?" replied the black-haired Marauder, turning around to face his friend who had a thoughtful look on his face. "What are you thinking?"

"Have you noticed something?" Remus answered. When Sirius raised his eyebrows, asking for an elaboration, he continued, "something between James and Liz?"

"You mean something other than their mutual desire to throttle each other?" he asked, a small smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

"Yes, other than that." Remus replied with a roll of his blue eyes. "Because there _is_ something else there…some sort of a _spark_ , for a lack of a better word." He continued, resuming his thoughtful expression.

"A spark that's going to take quite a long time for them to see," Sirius added in agreement, his voice taking on an uncharacteristically somber tone. Remus redirected his gaze towards him and opened his mouth to say something, when they suddenly heard the sound of footsteps stomping down the stairs.

"Mate, did you talk to her?" Sirius asked as soon as the hazel-eyed Marauder came into view.

"I'm _never_ going to apologize to her again," was all he said before angrily storming across the room and gathering up a mattress and blanket in his hands.

"Wait, you're sleeping on the terrace today?" Remus asked cautiously. James brusquely nodded his head in response and left the room without as much as a word. The light-haired man sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Wow, he must be really bothered if he's sleeping there," he said, closing his eyes and leaning back in the chair.

"Told you it's going to take time for them to see the spark," Sirius commented proudly, yawning and stretching his arms over his head before making his way towards his own mattress.

* * *

"Did you find her?" He asked in a high, hiss-like voice. His long, slender fingers ghosted over the sheath of his sword, very well aware of the fact that the movement was being trailed by a pair of wide, scared eyes.

Goyle gulped audibly. "N-no, Your Highness," he bowed his head in shame. "Not yet."

"Not yet?" Riddle echoed in a calm voice, making the buff guard bristle even more. "I hope you plan on keeping your word, Goyle. It would be a real pity to kill you. You see, I do hate shedding blood," he said in a voice that suggested that the case was anything but.

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Goyle agreed hastily, scampering away fearfully when the ruthless king gestured him to do so with a flick of his hand.

"Your filthy daughter is just like you, Charles," Riddle spat at the empty room in contempt. "Always spurring trouble for me without realizing it. The vile girl thinks it's all just for gold and a deal with those thick-headed Malfoys," he gritted his teeth, whirling around and knocking over a candle-stick in his anger.

The fire went out, plunging the study room into complete darkness, save for the light coming from a lone candle burning on the small table next to a divan .

With deliberate, long strides, the king walked over to it, picking up the wrinkled parchment that lay on the wooden surface. His bottomless black pits skimmed over the words, once again taking in what was already imprinted in his mind.

 _The Will of King Charles Henry Evans III,_ it read.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	6. The Fateful Will

**Deception and Disguise**

**The Fateful Will**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

_The Will of King Charles Henry Evans III_

_I, Charles Henry Evans III, King of Gryffindor, head of the royal family of the Evans', hereby hand over all my properties and holdings to my lone daughter, Lily Catherine Evans, princess of Gryffindor, after my death. This will should only be brought to effect when Princess Evans crosses the eighteenth year of her life. Until then, if I am to die an untimely death, the kingdom of Gryffindor shall be ruled by the only remaining royal of the bloodline; my cousin, Prince Tom Riddle._

_However, once Princess Lily Evans comes of age, the kingdom shall be handed back to her, and lest she should die, all ownerships of the royal family and all holdings of the royal treasury shall be distributed amongst the citizens of the kingdom._

_This legal testament should be disregarded, however, if Princess Lily Catherine Evans gets married into another royal family before her coronation. This decision has been solely made due to the reason that the princess could be tricked into marrying someone only to be killed by greedy hands. This restriction shall prevent the kingdom from falling into the wrong clutches._

_If this happens to be the case, and the princess has an early marriage, then the kingdom shall still be ruled by the royal heir to the throne._

_The validity of this will remains until Lily Catherine Evans has deceased or she passes on the ownership of the kingdom and the duty of its welfare to someone else once she comes of age._

_To my daughter – Lily, my blessings are always with you, child._

_Signed,_

_King Charles Henry Evans III_

* * *

"I should have realized you never trusted me, Charles," Riddle sneered, tracing the will and staring at the flickering candle flame, "It was probably the only time you were cunning enough to do something like leaving me with no other choice but to get your filthy daughter married before she turns eighteen." He slowly folded up the parchment and tucked it into his robes.

"But no matter," he continued in a hiss, "Once she is captured and married off, I will forever be rid of this burden, and _your_ kingdom will be rightfully mine once and for all. I shall not have to worry about showing this wretched will to the people as proof in the future ever again."

"You will sit and watch, Charles, as I rule Gryffindor; I will rule it _exactly_ the way a worthless kingdom like this should be ruled like," Riddle snarled. "But you better hope your disgraceful daughter returns for the marriage, Charles,"

"Because if she does not, mark my words, this time I will not hesitate to slit her throat."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	7. Mistrust

**Deception and Disguise**

**Mistrust**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"Is Her Majesty up yet?" James Potter asked, idly chipping the wooden table using his pocket knife. The blade glinted from the reflection of the sun as the rays poured in through the lone window in the room. The Marauder looked up when a hand slammed down on top of his own, making the knife clatter on the table.

Remus's blue eyes showed annoyance as they peered down at him.

"Don't do that, James," he chided, "You know Liz spent a lot of time cleaning up the house. The least we can do is make sure that it stays the same way."

James Potter rolled his hazel eyes before putting up his hands in surrender. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he acknowledged, stuffing the knife inside his boots. "But you didn't answer my question."

"No, she's not up yet," Sirius answered before Remus could. He tossed a piece of gold coin inside his pouch where it landed with an audible 'clang'. "But she was exhausted last night, mate. I think it's understandable if she wakes up a little late."

"But it's almost noon!" James cried, "And we have to go. We can't just leave her here to wake up and find the house empty. She has to wake up now," he said, glancing at the stairs expectantly, as if the small action would make the green-eyed woman come down instantly.

He looked back to find his friends giving him blank looks.

"What? Aren't any of you going to go wake up the girl?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"The girl's name is Elisa, James." Remus said sternly, ignoring the dismissive wave of hand from his friend. He shared a look with Sirius and continued when he got a smirk in response. "And answering your question; no we're not," he said simply. "You do it."

"Me?" James balked in an incredulous tone, "Why me? I had the impression that the two of you actually _liked_ spending time with her?"

"Oh, we do," Sirius answered with – according to James – an extremely annoying smirk on his face. "But you're the one who is so hell-bent on her waking up right now. Besides, it's fun to watch you get all huffy-puffy about something, mate." He laughed.

" _And_ ," Remus intervened loudly before James' temper flared. Sometimes Sirius was just asking for it. "I think you need to solve out your issues with her first. Liz is a nice girl, and I'm sure she'll listen if you just talk to her a bit more gently. You can't keep fighting with her like this if she's going to be living here now, James; just try to have a mature, polite conversation." He advised sincerely.

"Fine, I'll go and talk to her! Happy?" James exclaimed grumpily, making Remus shake his head tiredly. _Did he even listen to a word I said?_ He wondered as his friend moodily got up from his chair. _Probably not._ "Be stubborn and behave like the lazy arses you are; see if I care!" he said before stomping up the stairs haughtily.

"Hypocrite," Sirius muttered amusedly once James was out of view. "He's ten times more stubborn than we'll ever be."

Remus couldn't have agreed more.

* * *

With a huge yawn, Lily sat up on her new, rickety bed and rubbed her groggy eyes with the back of her hand. She was just about to call out to Mary when her senses came whirring back to her, and the princess released a soft sigh.

This wasn't the Gryffindor palace; it was Godric's Hollow.

She, Lily Catherine Evans, was staying with the Marauders, and was positively sure that one of them was destined to hate her for eternity.

With another sigh, the princess pushed away the blankets that James Potter had brought her last night. She slowly made her way towards the tiny bathroom that was attached to the room. As the water flowed down her body, Lily tried not to think about the intoxicating scents that Mary used to arrange for her in the royal bath back at the castle.

 _Those are petty adjustments I will have to make if I want this freedom_ , she decided determinedly.

Stepping in front of the old, slightly cracked mirror in her room, Lily dressed herself back into the clothes Mary had given her. She bit her lip sadly as she noticed the stains and dust that now covered her breeches and shirt from the previous day's cleaning.

God knew how long she could last in these.

For a fleeting moment, Lily wondered if she should ask the Marauders to get her new clothes. But as soon as it came, she quickly dismissed the idea; those men had been generous enough as it was.

The princess was jolted out of her thoughts as she heard the rapping of knuckles against the wooden surface of her door. Picking up her cloak from where she had hung it on the bed-post last night, Lily walked over to the door before unlocking and opening it.

James Potter stood in front of her with a particularly disgruntled expression on his handsome face. Then again, Lily considered, he _always_ seemed to be disgruntled around her.

"Good morning," she greeted out of politeness. She was not going to be the one to bring up their argument from last night.

"Well, its noon now," James muttered under his breath. "We have to leave," he said more loudly without a preamble.

"Leave?" Lily echoed curiously, "leave where?"

"Just around the kingdom; visiting people and giving them something to survive on," he answered dismissively. The princess smiled softly. James Potter was almost nice when he wasn't being all arrogant and confusing. "The point is, you slept in, and now we're late." He added.

Lily sighed. What was his problem?

"I apologize," she said, trying to keep her cool. "I was really tired and–" she stopped speaking when he started shaking his head.

"I'm not accusing you or anything," James said, trying to follow Remus's words of advice. She tilted her head to the side curiously, and James tried his best not to stare at her sheet of auburn hair which had turned a darker shade because of the dampness. "I – We just wanted to inform you, so that you were not, you know, wondering where we were." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling uncharacteristically uncomfortable.

"Oh," Was all Lily said.

"Well then, I guess I'll just–"

"Can I come with you?" she cut across him, wringing her hands together nervously.

"What?! Why?" James asked, genuinely curious.

"I – I well, I don't know," Lily sighed. "What will I do here anyway? I cannot just hide in here forever; I will have to go out sometime. And maybe you can show me around the kingdom, yes?" she asked hopefully, trying to keep up their considerably polite conversation.

James stared at her for a few seconds before giving a half-shrug in response. "I guess," he said nonchalantly. His heart sped up against his rib-cage when Lily gave him a sincere smile. For heaven's sake, she was just a woman, he argued with himself.

"Listen, why don't you just go get ready and come downstairs?" James said quickly, trying not to lash out at the girl because of his frustrating feelings. He turned around to leave when Lily reached out and tapped his shoulder gently.

James raised an eyebrow when she simply fidgeted with her hands. "Yes?" he asked impatiently.

"I _am_ ready," she mumbled with a slight rouge tinge to her cheeks.

"Uh," James paused, zeroing in on her stained shirt and dust-laden breeches. He watched as she shuffled her boots in embarrassment, making him snap his gaze back to her face. Elisa definitely looked more beautiful in a dirty outfit than the other girls that Sirius sometimes accompanied did in their dresses, he realized with a jolt. He stubbornly pushed down that thought. "You need to get something new to wear."

The princess self-consciously looked away from the man. "I know," she mumbled.

"You can buy something in the town. There are plenty of shops."

Lily blushed even darker now. "Well, you see, James Potter, I do not have any money at all."

"We'll get you something," he said casually before turning around and starting to leave. Lily blinked, trying to figure out how a man could be so incredibly confusing. One moment, he was he was shouting his head off, and the next; he was buying her clothes without even giving it a second thought.

With a heavy sigh, the princess followed him, wrapping her cloak around her as she did so.

"Please, wait," James heard Elisa's soft voice call behind him. He didn't stop, but slowed down his pace.

"What?" he asked when she caught up with him. From the corner of his eye, James noticed that the girl had put on the cloak once more, but luckily left the hood uncovered. He smiled inwardly despite himself.

"You…you are going to buy me clothes?" Lily repeated dubiously.

James frowned. "Yeah, I – well, _we_ will get you some clothes." He answered confusedly. _What was the big deal anyway?_ He wondered, _Remus would be proud, at least._

"Well, thank you." Lily said gratefully with a smile. James Potter wasn't half-bad if he just stopped hating her and tried to be a bit more polite.

"Yeah, you're welcome, I suppose." He grumbled in response before making his way downstairs, getting frustrated beyond his wits when he thought about the stirring feeling he got in his chest when she smiled at him.

Lily sighed and shook her head, wondering what she had done to make him so moody again, before she made her way downstairs as well.

* * *

"Ah, good morn – wow, your hair looks amazing, Liz," Sirius complimented as soon as the duo came into view. He winked as Lily blushed and tucked a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Sirius," she said shyly.

"Hi, Elisa. Did you sleep well?" Remus asked politely, smiling when the girl nodded in response. His blue eyes traveled to the messy-haired Marauder beside her, and he raised an inquisitive eyebrow. James gave a simple shrug of his shoulders.

 _At least he did not disregard everything I said,_ Remus sighed inwardly.

"She's coming with us," James spoke up suddenly, "we're going to get her something to wear."

The other two Marauders in the room shared shocked looks at this proclamation, neither of them able to understand their friend's sudden change of demeanor. "We're buying Liz clothes?" Sirius asked finally.

"Oh! I understand if you do not–"

"No, no, no." Remus cut in, trying to ease down the blush that was taking over Lily's entire face. "Of course we want to. I mean, it's not a problem. Really, Liz." He persisted when she opened her mouth to insist again. Remus gave an inconspicuous glare at Sirius, who, thankfully, understood.

"Come on, love, you know I didn't mean it like that," he said, draping an arm over Lily's shoulder.

"I know," she smiled before the group started making its way outside. Lily quickly pulled her hood over her head again, much to the chagrin of a particular Marauder.

"No more arguments?" Remus whispered, falling into step beside James, while the other two trailed behind.

"None," James confirmed, staring determinedly ahead with a frown creasing his eyebrows.

"Then why do you look so…frustrated?" He prodded as they turned a corner.

"I don't know, Remus. She's just so…mysterious." James answered in a whisper. Remus didn't miss the way his friend's expression softened when Liz's tinkling laughter sounded from behind them. "I'm just having a hard time trusting her, I guess."

"Not with that again, please. I already told you that it makes you sound like a–"

"–hypocrite, I know." James finished for him. "And I'm trying, like you suggested, okay? But it'll take some time. Besides, it's difficult with the way she seems to affect me all the time. I don't know what to think!" he confessed with a sigh.

Ah, but Remus did know.

"James, you–"

"Hey, lads, what do you think of Madam Malkin's?" Sirius shouted from behind them, cutting off whatever Remus was about to say. James shrugged casually in response, while Lily examined the shop.

It was a two-story building that looked old, yet was in a good condition. Quite a few people entered and exited the shop, chatting with each other. Lily smiled. It was what she always wanted her life to look like; normal. "I think we should go," she suggested.

"Well, let's go, then." Sirius announced loudly, pulling Lily inside with him, while James and Remus followed.

"Oh, hello darlings. To what do I owe the pleasure of having the Marauders in my shop?" A cheery looking old woman with blue eyes and grey-hair greeted them.

"Elisa here is just looking for some clothes." Sirius supplied, nudging the princess forward gently. Lily smiled politely and fidgeted as the woman's eyes appraised her. "Do you think you have something for her?"

"But of course! I have plenty of outfits for her." Malkin exclaimed looking very much like the question had insulted her. She turned her gaze towards Lily again. "You have beautiful eyes, dear. I'm sure you'll look stunning in some dresses I have. But, could you take off your hood so that I can see what colors will look good with your hair?"

"I – uh," Lily fumbled, wringing her hands nervously. What if the woman recognized her and turned her in?

"Its okay, Elisa, you can trust her," James drawled from beside her. "She knows us too, doesn't she?"

 _Well, you are not the prince of Gryffindor, are you?_ Lily thought inwardly.

"I'm sorry, but is there a problem?" Malkin spoke up curiously.

"She's just scared that you're going to turn her in to Riddle's guards; you see, Malkin, Elisa is a thief, and she stole the princess's ring." James answered casually before Lily even had the time to deny anything. She stared at the man incredulously. _Who is he to reveal my secret?_ She fumed inwardly.

Even Remus threw an apologetic look at the green-eyed woman, but she was too busy glaring at their counterpart.

"Oh, that's it?" Malkin waved it off dismissively. "I don't care what you do to the royalty here, dear. C'mon now, chop chop, we have to find you something," she said, clasping her hands expectantly. With a sigh, the princess glanced around to make sure no one else was looking and did as she was asked to, albeit hesitantly. Malkin blinked in awe as her blood-red strands came into view.

"Oh, my," she smiled, "you have wonderful hair dear. I haven't seen someone as beautiful as you in a long time; did you just arrive at Gryffindor?"

"I–"

"She used to work at the palace." James answered again. With barely suppressed anger, the princess dug her nails into her palms. This was getting too much. "Do you mind hurrying up a bit though, Malkin? We have places to go." He continued. "Get her a few outfits, whatever you think is nice."

The owner of the shop chuckled lightly. "Of course, James. Who am I hold up the Marauders? Come now, dearie, let's get you something." She added to Lily before pulling the girl to the second floor with her. The princess quickly put on her hood again.

"Mate, what's wrong with you!?" Remus rounded on James as soon the women disappeared up the stairs.

"What? What did I do?" James asked, looking completely nonplussed.

"You just went ahead and told Malkin Elisa's secret, even though the poor girl was clearly uncomfortable with that," Remus answered. Sirius, on the other hand, watched the exchange between his friends with mild interest, occasionally throwing a wink at some of the women in the shop, who giggled in response.

"Well, she shouldn't have to worry. Why would Malkin reveal her secret to Riddle when no one in Gryffindor has revealed ours in the past two years?"

"I know she wouldn't. But you have to see it from Liz's point of view as well, James. This secret was not yours to tell. You can be a right prat sometimes, mate." Remus sighed.

"Oh, come on! Don't blame me now, Remus. She has to learn how to trust people sooner or later," the words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them through, and James cringed as he realized his mistake.

"I just don't understand the problem, James. You want her to be able to trust people, when you yourself are having so much trouble trusting _her._ You seem too conflicted, mate. Since when have you started mistrusting people like this?" Remus inquired tiredly.

"It's not everyone!" James cried out defensively. This conversation was quickly starting to infuriate him. "It's just her! She just makes me so angry all the time and I don't know why! I just know that whatever I'm feeling, I'm not liking it one bit. I just met her yesterday, for heaven's sake; and she's already driving me up the wall."

"Lower your voice, mate. People are staring, and not just because I look dashing." Sirius spoke up in a low tone. Glancing around, James realized that he was right; people were indeed throwing them wary glances. It was not every day that the Marauders created such a scene, after all. With a final angry huff, James snapped his mouth shut.

"You look wonderful, darling," the men heard Malkin's voice drift down the stairs, shortly followed by the woman herself. "But obviously, It'd be better if you took off that cloak."

"I cannot," came the soft reply before Lily descended the stairs well. She wore a simple blue mantua gown, accompanied with a stomacher, and black stockings. Malkin had even provided her with a pair of shoes, instead of the boots she was wearing earlier. She did indeed look wonderful, thought Remus.

"Where were you all my life, Liz?" Sirius smiled charmingly. The princess simply rolled her eyes with a grin, mildly aware that the women in the shop were throwing her envious glances.

"He's right; you look really nice." Remus said, smiling warmly as she thanked him.

"Well, of course she does. This color really suits her, and so does green. I got her a few more outfits of the same type…" Malkin continued to chat, completely unaware of the growing tension around her. Both James and Lily were glaring openly, each of them having given up on their decisions to remain civil.

Sirius sighed inwardly. He had such blind friends.

With a final aggravated look, Lily turned her gaze away. James, Remus noticed, did the same after letting his glare soften and linger on the girl for a while longer.

* * *

A few minutes, and a lot of thanking from the princess later, the Marauders and Lily were strolling down the streets, occasionally stopping by some vendor or family to give away money. Each time they did so, a warm feeling of pride spread through Lily's limbs; a feeling that she had almost forgotten after her father's death.

Yet, each time she glanced at the unruly-haired Marauder, a scowl immediately took over her features.

 _How can a person be so inconsiderate at one moment, and then so caring the next?_ The princess kept wondering again and again. And every time she would catch James Potter glancing at her, the man would simply glare and turn his gaze away.

She couldn't for the life of her understand why he was behaving so peculiarly. _She_ was the one who was supposed to be furious, not him. _She_ was the one who had her secret – so what if it was a lie? – flaunted to a shopkeeper by him. _She_ was the one who always caught him staring at her, not the other way round.

"'Ello, you three, I see yeh've met Liz already?" The booming voice of Hagrid stopped the group in their tracks. All of their faces split into wide smiles.

"Hello, Hagrid." They chorused in greeting.

"Nice ter meet yeh too," he chuckled. "Out ter help people again, eh, lads?" he asked, offhandedly giving away some apples to them. Lily grinned as she bit into it happily with a thank you.

"Yeah, we're almost done. Just left to go to Peter's now. What about you, Hagrid? How is your business coming along?" James asked, biting into his own fruit.

"Amazin'! Ev'ryone loves me fruits an' vegetables. They're hand-grown, see? Musta liked 'em 'cause they're fresh." He answered proudly.

"They really are very nice, Hagrid." Lily grinned at him. The others nodded vehemently in agreement.

"Thank yeh, Liz." He smiled gratefully. "Well, I mus' be off, then. I'll see yeh lot later," Hagrid said before waving down at them and steering his cart away.

"Who is Peter?" Lily asked curiously as they continued walking down the street.

"You'll see," Sirius smirked, tapping her nose childishly. Lily grinned.

* * *

"Oi, Peter! C'mon out. It's us." Sirius bellowed once they entered the beverage shop. The place had a wide assortment of drinks, ranging from mead to rum to wine. Rows of bottles were lined up against the wall and the shop was dark. The dampness and the pungent smell of alcohol in the air made Lily uneasy. She shivered slightly as a foreboding feeling overcame her.

James regarded her with a strange look.

"Sirius?" someone squeaked from the other end of the shop. The person slowly made their way towards the middle of the room where Lily could clearly make out his face. But as soon as she did, the princess's breath hitched in her throat.

His short, plump structure, baby blue eyes and flat, blonde hair immediately triggered a memory in her mind.

" _Lily, calm down. It's just another ball." Mary soothed her as she paced her room in frustration. The princess spun around to throw a disbelieving look at her friend._

" _Just another ball?" she repeated incredulously. "Mary, you know that the Malfoys are going to start bringing up my marriage with Prince Lucius again. I cannot believe I signed that contract without reading it first!" She cried out, a few tears leaking out of her emerald eyes._

_Mary sighed. "It was not your fault, princess. You must know that." She insisted before brushing away the tears from her friend's face. "Lily, you know that I wish I could help you in some way, but I can't. And I'm truly sorry for saying this, but the ball begins in a few minutes. Come on now, go wash your face and then I'll help you get ready, okay?" she said sadly before gently leading the princess out of her room._

_As she left the room in a daze, her mind started going hazy in anger as it was wont to do every time she thought about her uncle, who probably was only keeping her alive for whatever money she could bring to his greedy hands. The princess scoffed inwardly in disgust._

_She was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts as a loud_ 'smash' _echoed through the hall. She looked up to see a pair of fearful blue eyes staring back into her green ones._

" _I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," the blonde man immediately apologized, bowing down his head in shame. "I d-didn't mean to do that. I was just t-taking these wine bottles to the b-b-ballroom for the dance tonight. I didn't–"_

" _No, please do not apologize. It was my fault, really. I should have seen where I was going." She cut him off swiftly. His eyes immediately snapped towards her in shock, and he stared at her with a gaping mouth._

" _Oh, I'll just be g-going then," the man squeaked in a terrified voice before quickly picking up the broken pieces of glass and scampering away from sight._

_She sighed sadly. No one expected the royalty to be forgiving nowadays. With reluctant steps, the princess side-stepped the puddle of blood-red wine and made her way towards the royal bath again._

"Liz, this is Peter Pettigrew." Sirius's jolly voice brought her crashing back into the horrifying reality before her. "You could say that he's almost like a fourth Marauder. And Peter, this is Elisa. Don't trust her looks, she's also a stealthy crook, mate." He declared proudly.

Lily wrung her hands in fear as the man's familiar eyes squinted and he regarded her curiously, almost as if he was trying to sort out the piece of an interesting puzzle.

This man, 'almost Marauder', beverage dealer, Peter Pettigrew, had met Lily Catherine Evans before. And it was very, very likely that he was going to reveal her secret right now, Lily decided as his light blue eyes widened considerably in size.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	8. Suspicions and Apologies

**Deception and Disguise**

**Suspicions and Apologies**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"I think I've seen her before," Peter Pettigrew finally said after what felt like an eternity to Lily. Her emerald-green eyes were darting around nervously and her throat constricted painfully. Oh lord; she didn't know what to do if this man revealed her secret. "I just can't remember." He finished, squinting his watery blue eyes in an effort to get a better look at the girl.

Lily shied away from his intrusive gaze, hoping against hope that he would _never_ remember. "Uh, I do not think I have met you before," she said in an effort to defend herself. This, however, seemed like the wrong thing to do, for the man's eyes dawned with realization and his jaw unhinged from shock.

 _I definitely need to do something about my unnatural politeness,_ the princess thought with trepidation, barely stopping herself from slapping her forehead in foolishness.

Peter could hardly believe what he was seeing. He thought he knew who she was, but – was it really even possible? As far as he knew, the princess, whatever her name was, was happily living in the Gryffindor castle, rolling around in riches. Yet, here she was in front of him, standing with the Marauders no less. And Peter could bet on his life that it _was_ her; hers was not a face you forgot. Those sharp, almond-shaped green eyes that skirted around the shop, that pearl-white skin which looked absolutely silky-smooth, and that posture of pride, stature and nobility. Royalty.

Yes, Peter was certain that if removed, the hood on her head would reveal the curtain of blood-red hair that he knew was utterly mesmerizing.

"Oi, Pettigrew! Snap out of it." Sirius said good-naturedly. "We know our Liz is gorgeous, but using old flirting techniques and gawking is rude." He laughed, and Remus smiled as well.

"You've seen her before?" James asked suspiciously, staring directly at Peter who had yet to stop looking stunned. Lily immediately snapped her head towards the messy-haired man in apprehension and bit her lip, anxiously wondering why he would not drop the subject like the other two Marauders. But James Potter did not even spare her a glance.

"I have," Peter replied before he noticed the princess shaking her head ever so slightly, her eyes frantic with fear. "not." He added, wondering what on earth she wanted him to do. Besides, it wasn't like Peter had enough power to defy the royalty. No, he wasn't a Marauder. He prized his life too much to refuse a princess, who could have his head hung on the noose within minutes.

"You have not?" James repeated dubiously.

"Er, no." he squeaked in reply, making the princess breathe again. It was a wonder she could keep in her sigh of relief. Lily gratefully smiled at Peter, making sure it was inconspicuous. "I was just confusing her with someone else." He lied, trying not to cower under James's clearly disbelieving gaze.

"Are you sure you–"

"Drop it, James. He already said he doesn't recognize her," Remus said, staring at his friend confusedly. Why was he pushing the matter so much, he wondered curiously.

"So, Peter, what's news? Riddle making any new plans?" Sirius asked when James simply frowned and snapped his mouth shut. Lily, on the other hand, was nothing short of glad that the subject had been changed. She looked at Peter expectantly, hoping to get some update on what was happening in the palace.

"Nothing really. His Majesty hasn't called me for the wines lately. The last time I went was on that ball five nights ago. No one is being allowed into the palace, really. I've heard that the king is in a bad mood." Peter answered, his eyes fleeting towards Lily every now and then. He wondered whether she would return to the castle and have him sent to the gallows for saying this.

 _Is that why she's here?_ He suddenly thought. _To spy on the kingdom and get information from the Marauders?_

Peter felt his palms go sweaty; what if she _did_ go and tell the King that he used to spy and bring news to the Marauders from the Gryffindor palace? He could only hope for a quick and easy death if that happened. He had just started to contemplate revealing the princess's secret right then and there, when she herself spoke up.

"Wait, you mean to say that no one knows why King Riddle is angry?" Lily asked before she could help herself. Surely the man would have spread the news of her disappearance by now?

"It's obvious, isn't it? We stole his stupid deal." James drawled. Lily bit her lip and nodded slowly, knowing very well that the king was upset for a very different reason. The hazel-eyed Marauder frowned when he noticed Liz's troubled expression and restless hands.

He knew something here was _very_ wrong.

"Alright then, Peter. We'll be leaving now, yeah?" Remus said, breaking the silence in the room. He clapped the man on the shoulder with a smile before making his way out the door. "So long," Sirius waved, following him as well.

"See you later, mate." James added before turning to leave. Just as he was about to step over the threshold, he glanced behind him to see Lily still rooted to her spot. "You coming or what?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I will be there in just a minute. You go ahead." She answered without meeting his eyes. With a final suspicious glance between the two occupants of the shop, James nodded and left.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Pettigrew. I–"

"It's Peter," he squeaked in a shell-shocked voice.

Lily smiled. "Yes, of course. Thank you so much Peter. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for not giving me away. I am sure you must be wondering why I have lied like this. Or why I am out here in the streets anyway. And that too with the Marauders, is it not?"

Oh, yes, he did wonder. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't wish to, Your Highness." Peter bowed fearfully, hoping against hope that this was not the calm before the storm.

"Please, Peter, call me Lily. Or Liz rather." The Princess chucked lightly. When the man continued to stare at her in disbelief, she sighed heavily. "Actually, I ran away from the palace. I could not stand to live in that place any longer. My uncle can be very ruthless, and I could not sit there and watch as he married me off. But what I cannot understand is why he has not sent anyone to arrest me yet." She pondered.

"I-I don't know." Peter stuttered.

"I think I must be leaving now. The Marauders must be waiting." Was all she said, glancing towards the door. She controlled the urge of wrinkling her nose in disgust at the pungent odor of liquor as she did so. "Peter, I know that we hardly know each other, but I hope you will keep my secret safe. Can I trust you?" Lily suddenly asked, looking hopeful and afraid at the same time as she regarded the man before her.

Peter gulped. "Of-of course." He answered, breathing a sigh of relief when the princess smiled.

"I will forever be in your debt," Lily said, curtsying. She turned and left the shop, feeling much more relaxed than she had been only a few moments before.

The same, however, could not be said for Peter Pettigrew.

He grabbed a bottle of rum from the rack and uncorked it, slumping into a tool heavily. The princess of Gryffindor, whom he had seen only once in his entire life before, had just walked into his shop with the Marauders. She apparently, had run away from the palace to escape her marriage. The king, on the other hand, was behaving more cruelly than ever. Well, Peter knew the reason for that now. What was _he_ supposed to do then? Wasn't he supposed to tell his friends that there was a possible spy amongst them? Was he supposed to keep his promise? Was he supposed to turn the princess in to the guards so that the king would stop being so vile?

Everything was spiraling out of control and Peter did not know how to react.

So he did the only thing he could.

He drank.

* * *

"What took you so long?" James Potter asked as soon as she stepped out of the shop. Immediately, a frown adorned her face and she turned to face him. The man was glaring at her, leaning against the wall of an adjacent shop with his arms crossed across his chest. The sun was shining on his face, making his irises seem caramel, and his hair looked as unruly as ever, a few strands falling into his eyes.

"Where are Remus and Sirius?" Lily shook herself out of her daze and asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. The only problem was, she did not know who she was irritated with.

"Answer my question," James retorted, pushing himself away from the wall and walking towards her. He felt his heart stirring in his chest when he took in her defensive stance; her head held high and her fiery temper clearly visible in her forest green eyes. Oh, she intrigued him.

"You answer mine first." Lily threw back at him. _He_ was the one who had broken their civil patch-up from the morning, so she wasn't going to be the one to step down. This man was way too arrogant; she wasn't going to encourage it.

"They left to go get something for supper. I had to stay behind to wait for you."

"I wanted to talk to Peter about Princess Evans," Lily answered. Well, it wasn't a complete lie, she reasoned with herself.

"What about her?" James persisted, falling into step with her as they made their way back to Godric's Hollow.

"None of your business," Lily evaded, feeling inexplicably guilty.

"What's your problem, Elisa?" James suddenly stopped and yanked her around to face him by the arm. His hazel bore into her green ones. He inched towards her as the frustration, anger, and something else that he couldn't quite figure out pulled him in. Their eyes were locked onto each others; neither willing to be the first one to break away.

"What's yours, James Potter?" Lily asked, feeling her heart threatening to leap out from her chest at the close proximity. Yet, she kept her voice calm and collected; something she definitely did not feel right then.

"Can't you just answer _one_ question properly?" He growled, unintentionally pulling the girl closer to him until there was but a whisper of distance left between them.

"You," Lily whispered, her breath tickling his lips. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she placed her hand on top of his, which was still holding on to her arm in a death grip. Ignoring the weird sensation that shot through her – and unbeknownst to the princess, him too – Lily unwrapped his fingers from her hand before stepping back. "You are my problem." She repeated, quickly turning around and walking again.

She took a deep breath to steady her heart. God knew she had never experienced such a strange feeling before; it absolutely scared the princess.

Closing his eyes, James tried to calm his own heart before following Liz once more. This was madness; half the time she confused him to no end, and half the time he wanted to pull out his hair, she was so frustrating. But this weird feeling; this _thing_ – whatever it was – was mocking him, for he had no idea how to handle it. And if there was one thing James Potter absolutely loathed, it was not having control of his life.

And he would be damned if some strange woman left him with unanswered questions.

"What do you mean I am your problem?" he asked, refraining himself from stopping her again. No, he had already made _that_ mistake once. "What did I ever do?"

Lily could not believe that he could be so very ignorant. "If you have not noticed, James Potter, let me tell you that you just revealed my secret to Madam Malkin. The secret that I trusted you with it. And I know that she probably will not reveal it to anyone, but you had no right to–"

"I had no right? What about you? If I trusted you enough to allow you to live with us, the least you could do is answer my bloody question! You are the one who has been ungrateful to me since the beginning. Sometimes I wish I hadn't even asked you to stay with us. At least life wouldn't be so confusing then."

Lily immediately halted in her tracks and looked up at him. Oh bloody hell, James thought as felt a strong pang of guilt within him when he noticed her hurt expression. He had gone too far this time.

"I–I was never ungrateful, James Potter." She said in a small voice, swallowing the painful lump in her throat. "I did not mean that. I was just…I apologize. I never meant to say those things. It was wrong of me to – I will leave as soon as we get to Godric's Hollow." Lily mumbled fast, increasing her speed and walking away. She inconspicuously brushed away the lone tear that had trickled down her cheek.

"Hey! Hey, Elisa, wait." James rushed after her, mentally kicking himself for being such a prat. The voice in his head admonishing him sounded a lot like Remus. "Just listen," he urged, holding her wrist to stop her from continuing down the path.

When she turned around to face him, James felt like someone just pummeled his guts. Her usually fiery and confident eyes looked so unsure and were filled with unshed tears. He suddenly felt disgusted with himself. He opened his mouth to apologize when she held up her hand to stop him.

"Please, I do not want you to feel guilty. I do not have a problem with leaving. Really." She said, even though she had no idea where to go. "All of you have already done so much for me; it was more than I could ever ask for. And you were right; I did not repay you with half the respect you deserved. I hope you will not think too badly of me–"

"Just shut up, please." James cut her off, surprising the princess with his rudeness. For a moment, the Marauder almost felt like grinning when he noticed the irritated frown adorn her face. This was a more comfortable territory. "I'm sorry, okay? And I'm not just saying that because I feel obliged to or something. I didn't mean what I said. You just irritate me sometimes, that's it." He smirked when she raised an eyebrow.

"Most of the time," James amended, and Lily couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped her lips. "Point is, you don't have to leave. Honestly. Don't leave." He said seriously when she opened her mouth to protest again. "Sirius and Remus would kill me if you did." He added as an afterthought.

"Okay," Lily nodded finally, smiling at James. A real smile. And he could barely contain his groan of frustration when his heart thumped again. James Potter was not stupid; he had his suspicions about where this was going. But he did not have time for this, nor did he have the space for such things in his life.

So with a nod of his head, James made his way towards Godric's Hollow without further incident, while Lily followed him with a soft smile etched onto her face.

* * *

"Oh, finally! We were starting to think that the two of you had killed each other on the way," Sirius laughed when the pair stepped into the house. Lily's eyes immediately zeroed in on Sirius's propped up feet on the table. His boots were covered with mud which was generously decorating the table at the moment.

Noticing her vicious glare, Sirius immediately removed his feet and raised up his hands in surrender, pouting and enlarging his grey eyes for good measure too. "Sorry, love. Won't happen again. I promise," he apologized.

The princess couldn't help but grin fondly and shake her head.

"What took you so long, then?" Remus asked, throwing an apologetic look at Lily for the mess on the table. She simply shrugged.

"We just got caught up…talking." James answered, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. Lily's eyes glanced towards him on their own accord from where she was dusting off the mud with a cloth.

"Talking?" Remus asked skeptically while Sirius simply widened his smirk. James gave a curt nod in response, and Remus knew not to push the matter when he noticed Liz's discomfort. "Okay. Anyone want supper?" he asked simply, chuckling when Sirius eagerly jumped up.

* * *

"So, what happened?"

James looked up from where he was absently twirling his knife between his fingers. The blade reflected his troubled hazel eyes and the confused frown that spread across his features at the question. "What do you mean? What happened when?" he asked Remus.

"He means what happened between you and Liz, mate." Sirius answered with an obvious tone to his voice. The woman in question had disappeared into her room after bidding everyone goodnight just a few minutes ago.

"Nothing happened," James immediately blurted out, much to the amusement of his friends.

"Yeah, and Filch got himself a lass," Sirius teased with a roll of his eyes. "Come on, James, give us some credit. We're not blind. Obviously something had to have happened between you two for there to be no yelling or fighting." He pointed out reasonably, increasing James's chagrin.

"Nothing happened, alright? All we did was talk, and well, she – she…"

"Didn't seem so bad?" Remus finished for him, the corner of his lips curving up into a small smirk.

"I'm going to sleep," was the only terse reply as James picked up the blankets and pillow into his arms. The other two Marauders shared amused looks behind his back.

"In the terrace again?" Remus asked.

"Yes, I just need to…think things over a little." James replied vaguely before marching up the stairs and disappearing from their view.

"Ah, denial, denial." Sirius tutted with a grin on his face once the sound of footsteps faded away. He fell onto his mattress with a 'flop' and turned on his stomach to look at Remus. The sandy-haired Marauder looked up the stairs once before shaking his head slowly.

"I don't think the problem here is just denial, Sirius." He said thoughtfully. "You'll have to be more patient. Because I think the problem here is trust."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	9. A Truce of Sorts

**Deception and Disguise**

**A Truce of Sorts**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

Princess Lily Catherine Evans lay on her back, staring at the canopy of her new four poster bed. She blinked her green eyes, wondering what a turn her life had taken. Here she was, living with three men, the Marauders no less, in a house – hell, in a kingdom – she barely even knew. Yet, this felt more like home than the Gryffindor palace ever did.

Life was normal; she had friends instead of servants, and she did not have to think about her image every time she so much as uttered a word. She liked these people. There was Sirius, who was like an annoying brother that she couldn't help but love. Remus was the wise and gentle one, one who Lily knew she could always go to if she ever had a problem. Hagrid, whom she had met only twice, yet who had managed to make her feel more cared for than her own uncle ever had.

And then, of course, there was James Potter.

Lily didn't know what to make of him. Did he hate her? Then why didn't he let her go today? He definitely was not fond of her; the princess could at least determine that much from his behavior towards her. But why? What did she ever do to him? That man was a mystery, one that she wasn't sure she wanted to solve. He invoked such strong feelings in her. The question was were they positive or negative?

If only she had someone to talk to.

"I miss you, mother." She whispered into the empty room, fingering the gold ring on her forefinger. "And you too, father." A teardrop slowly trickled down from the corner of her eye.

Taking a steadying breath, Lily wiped away the tear and pushed away her covers, gracefully getting up from the bed. She needed some fresh air. Walking across the room, she wrenched open the door and left for the terrace, the soft pitter-patter of her footsteps barely audible in the house.

* * *

The sound of rustling paper seemed twice as loud than usual in the quite surroundings. A pair of hazel eyes squinted over the words on the parchment, trying to make out the letters with the help of the moon's soft glow. With an impatient sigh, he ran his hands through his hair, unable to understand why he was reading it for the umpteenth time when the contract itself had been imprinted into his mind already.

And yet, each time he peered down at the parchment, crinkled from being over-read too many times, his eyes seemed to immediately focus on that single name.

Lily Catherine Evans.

Why was it, that ever since he stole the deal, she refused to leave his mind? Why couldn't he stop thinking about this person that he had never even met? He could only assume what sort of a princess she must be to allow her pitiless uncle to devour the kingdom like this. Yet, how come he never saw her? How come _no one_ ever saw her?

She was a mystery. Not very different from…

"Oh! I apologize. I did not know someone was here already." James's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. He turned around to see her figure retreating from the terrace, her ruby-red hair swaying slightly from the wind. He placed the contract on the floor beside him.

"Elisa, wait. You don't have to go." James called, making the princess stop in her tracks. Biting her lip indecisively, Lily turned back around and locked her green eyes with his hazel ones. She slowly made her way across the terrace, feeling the cool breeze kissing her face as she came to stand beside his sitting figure.

James had his arms draped over his knees as he regarded the girl before him. As she was wont to do, he had come to realize in the past two days, she was biting her lip again, and her huge green eyes were staring at him with an inscrutable expression. His lips curved into a small half-smile.

"Can't sleep?" James asked, patting the empty spot beside him and beckoning her to sit down. Lily frowned slightly in confusion – why was he being so nice? – but sat down anyway.

"No, not really." She replied truthfully, turning her head to look at him. "And you?"

"Sleep doesn't come very easily to me." He answered. She simply nodded.

"May I ask you something?" Lily whispered hesitantly.

He chuckled. "You're too polite," James said, making an attractive blush appear on the woman's face, which he tried not to stare at. "Go ahead."

"Wh-Why do you hate me?" She finally managed to get it out, blushing even darker now. Lily barely managed to stop herself from looking away when James snapped his gaze towards her in shock.

He felt gob-smacked. Whatever he had been expecting her to ask, it had definitely not been _that._ "Um, wow, I-I don't hate you. No." he shook his head earnestly, turning to face the silhouette of the Gryffindor castle that was visible in the distance with a pensive look on his face. After a while, he glanced back at her.

"You know, I never meant to make you feel that way." He said softly, staring into her eyes as she blinked at him. "I guess I'm just having trouble trusting you." James sighed, expecting her to reveal her fiery temper and stomp out on their teetering thread of civility right there.

Instead, she sighed too, surprising him more than a little bit. "Well, then I will just have to try harder to gain your trust, won't I, James Potter?" Lily asked, letting her gaze stray towards her 'home' as well. She immediately looked away, feeling guilt churning in the pit of her stomach. Ha! Trust indeed.

"I guess so." James whispered quietly.

The pair let the peaceful silence envelope them, both lost in their own musings, though unbeknownst to both of them, their thoughts had not strayed very far away from each other.

"You know, when I was younger, my mother would always sing me to sleep," Lily reminisced softly, letting her eyes crinkle at the corners in nostalgia. James watched her silently, captivated by her aura and the way she had a calming presence about her, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. "And father would tell me stories that still fascinate me." She smiled.

"You parents…?" James let the question trail off.

"Mother died when I was three, and then father followed her two years later." Lily turned to look at him, and James stayed silent when he noticed the sadness in her emerald eyes. "They were great people, and I miss them, of course. But sometimes I think they were so in love, they must be happy to be with each other now." She smiled to push back the tears burning in her eyes. "The pain of losing them does not go away, but it helps."

He watched, transfixed, as she tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear and stared off into the distance, reliving some memory – which James could only guess was not pleasant as the smile slowly faded away from her face. And suddenly, he felt a strong urge of giving something in return; a chapter of his life for one of hers.

It's an obligation, he told himself. Yet, as the words started to pour out of his mouth, James knew it was anything but.

"I don't remember anything about my parents, Elisa." He said, and Lily started at the sound of his voice; she had just been cursing that fateful day when her uncle was crowned king. "The only thing I do know is that I was abandoned on the street when I was merely two years old. An old lady called Bathilda Bagshot had found me there. She used to take in children like me in her house, where I met Remus."

"What about Sirius?" Lily cut across him curiously.

James frowned and fidgeted uncomfortably. "We didn't meet him until after Mrs. Bagshot's death." He paused, and Lily knew that that was all he was willing to say on the matter. The princess respected his decision, for she guessed that it was not his secret to share at all. It was Sirius's.

"King Charles Evans was the ruler back then," James continued again, drawing in her attention once more. "And he used to help Mrs. Bagshot with the money. In fact, he used to help everyone." Lily knew this of course, and she felt herself smile proudly at his words. "Mrs. Bagshot was a good lady, you know; she never treated us like orphans. We were like her family. Unfortunately, she died a couple years later from sickness. And then we had nowhere to go."

James heaved a sigh, running his fingers over the creases on the contract beside him. "Riddle had taken over the kingdom by that time; killing people and taking away their homes became an everyday thing for him." His hazel eyes darkened. "So I chose this life with Sirius and Remus. It's much better to do something than to just sit around and watch, Elisa. If only other people were like that."

Lily's heart dropped to her stomach at his words and she looked down shamefully, trying not to show how much he had affected her. That was when her gaze was attracted towards the parchment that lay under James's hand. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were staring ahead as he subconsciously crumpled it.

"What is that?" Lily spoke up curiously, trying not to let the guilt make its way into her voice.

The sound of her speaking seemed to pull James away from his trance. He turned his head to look where Elisa was gesturing and smiled contemptuously at the parchment, picking it up and straightening out the crinkles. "This," he answered with a scoff, "is King Riddle's notorious deal with King Malfoy."

"The-the one about the princess's marriage?" Lily asked for confirmation, her voice shaking with tremor. Luckily, James did not notice.

"The same," he nodded. "You'd think she would have done something to stop her beloved uncle if she was good person, wouldn't you?"

"I don't know," Lily whispered softly. "Maybe it's not as easy for her as you think."

James peered at the girl beside him curiously. Her words held a deeper meaning, and her eyes had a regretful look in them that he found absolutely mind-boggling.

"I-uh," Lily fumbled as she noticed James Potter staring at her. "I mean that the princess was not very fond of the king when I used to work at the palace. I do not think she wishes any harm to the kingdom." She tried to explain.

"Well, she hasn't tried to stop _him_ from harming us either," James shrugged, unconvinced. "This deal is a proof of that. Did you know that she signed it herself?"

"So I've heard." Lily mumbled with a heavy heart. "Why do you still keep it with yourself? Why not burn it?" She asked a few moments later, gesturing towards the deal in his hand. As far as she was concerned, getting rid of that deal would at least put an end to one of her numerous worries.

"Leverage, bribe, blackmail. You never know when it might come in handy." James replied with a wry smile, rolling up the parchment and stuffing it in his pocket, away from Lily's view. She barely managed to hold in her defeated sigh at his words.

"I-I think I should be turning in for the night," Lily stood up, brushing away the dust from the skirt of her dress. James followed her movements with his eyes, feeling strangely lonely as she started to walk away. "Good night, James Potter."

"James."

"I beg your pardon?" She turned around from her spot near the threshold, regarding the Marauder confusedly.

James stared right back. He didn't know what it was about her, but she was alluring. He knew he was taking a risk – a huge risk, regardless of what his friends tried to tell him – and that he might regret it later. He could decide not to trust her, but somehow, he knew it was too late. "James. Just call me James okay?"

Lily felt a genuine smile spread across her face at his words. She understood what he wanted to say; he was trusting her, and it was a truce of sorts. And despite trying to convince herself that it didn't mean much, she couldn't help but be immensely delighted. "Then you just call me Liz." she retorted, feeling her heart pound against her chest at an alarming rate.

"Okay, Liz." James said, letting a crooked grin spread across his face. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, James." She replied softly, turning around and leaving the terrace, all the while unable to wipe the smile from her face.

James watched her go before lying down on his mattress under the stars. He crossed his arms behind his head, replaying his conversation with Elisa – no, Liz – in his mind. It had been strange really, for just that morning he had been fuming about having to stay with her. And now…

…What were they?

James frowned, unable to answer that question. He knew they'd made a truce of sorts, maybe something even more than that. But they were definitely not friends yet, that much was for sure. She still frustrated him beyond his wits; the reason for that, he did not know. She was still a mystery to him, for he hardly knew anything about the woman.

Oh, but at least there were a few things he was certain about, James thought as sleep slowly started taking over his consciousness.

For one, Liz affected him more than he cared to admit.

And for another, his name had never sounded better than it did when it was uttered by her ruby lips.

* * *

After reaching the bedroom, Lily shut the door behind her and slipped beneath the covers once more, a strange sensation of warmth spreading through her entire being. As far as she knew, she had never felt anything like this before.

With a soft smile etched across her face, the princess lay back down on the bed, feeling much better than she had been only a few minutes ago.

She knew it had to do with him; it had to.

James Potter had trusted her, _finally,_ it would seem, and Lily intended to keep that trust with her. She knew it would be futile to say that she would be completely honest, because she couldn't. As much as she didn't want to, she would have to continue lying to James. And to Sirius and Remus of course, Lily hastily added in her mind.

These people didn't deserve that, she thought, the smile slowly fading away from her face. And yet, if they were to find out the truth, they would instantly hand her over to Riddle, if their feelings for the royalty were any indication.

 _No_ , she decided adamantly, turning on her side. _I cannot let that happen._

But she would do whatever she could to help the Marauders save Gryffindor from Riddle's clutches, for the men deserved at least that much from the princess in gratitude. With that thought in mind, Lily closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

And all the while, she couldn't help but wonder how this life of deception and disguise was ten times better than _that_ life of status and riches.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	10. Flour and Dough

**Deception and Disguise**

**Flour and Dough**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

As the merciless rays of the sun glared down at the sleeping figure of James Potter, a frown creased his dark eyebrows. With an irritated groan, he draped his arm across his eyes, trying to block out the light that was visible from even behind his eyelids. Just as a relaxed sigh escaped his lips and he started to fall back into the clutches of slumber, a toe nudged his side.

Cursing in annoyance, James tried to bat away the prodding leg only to have snickers sound from above him. "Leave me alone," he grumbled, trying in vain to ignore the now boisterous laughter.

"Sirius, I told you to let him be," Remus sighed exasperatedly, throwing a tired look at his companion, who was too busy trying out a new tactic of waking up James. Much to Remus's mortification, it involved Sirius sitting on top of the hazel-eyed Marauder.

"Oh, come on, Remus, this is so much fun. I don't even remember the last time when James woke up after me. You don't seriously expect me to pass up the opportunity, do you?" Sirius pouted, trying to maintain his balance as the figure underneath him wriggled and shifted in an effort to throw him off.

"Yes!" Remus and James exclaimed at the same time, the latter finally raising himself up to a sitting position as he pushed Sirius off, glaring at his fallen figure for good measure. Much to James's chagrin, Sirius simply smirked.

"So, James, why have you and Liz suddenly changed positions?" He asked, the growing smirk and the mischievous glint in his eyes ruining his supposed 'casual' demeanor. Remus rolled his eyes at his friend's weird way of posing a question.

"What?" James asked, looking genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

"It's unbelievable! Did the sun rise in the west today?" Sirius continued gleefully, easily ignoring the impatient expression on his friend's face. James was almost ready to push him off the roof if he continued in this manner. Remus, on the other hand, felt the beginnings of a migraine forming; Sirius had repeated the _exact_ same thing to Liz downstairs. And he was honestly getting tired of rolling his eyes. To top it off, the blazing sun wasn't helping either.

"Sirius," James gritted out threateningly.

"Liz is already awake, and has been for quite some time too. You, on the other hand, James, have slept for an unnaturally long time, mate. We were just wondering why that was." Remus hastily spoke up as he noticed Sirius opening his mouth to pour out some form of rubbish yet again. The grey-eyed Marauder looked distinctly put out that he was not able to continue his ribbing.

"She's awake? What time is it?" James shot up from his position on the mattress with a jolt. He could not have overslept…

"Almost noon."

…that much.

 _But how is that even possible?_ James asked himself. He hadn't overslept in _years_ , and after talking to Liz last night, he had imagined that sleep would barely come to him. Oh, but apparently it had, and in a large quantity at that. And try as he might, James knew deep inside that his conversation with the enigmatic girl had given him a weird sort of calming, soothing feeling. A feeling he wasn't sure he had ever felt before. It was nice.

He hated himself for thinking that.

"…to ask her. Are you even listening? Oi, James!" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of his best-mate's face, successfully bringing him out of his musings. James warily glanced at the giddy smirk that broke out on Sirius's face. "What?" he asked hesitantly.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" He asked in way that left James with no doubt that his response was not required anyway. Sirius knew.

"About whom?" It never hurt to pretend.

"Why, our dear Liz of, course." Sirius countered, his smirk growing.

"That's absurd! Of course I wasn't thinking about her," James replied defensively, though he could tell that not one soul on the terrace – including himself – believed a single word. "Why would I think about her? I was just wondering why you didn't wake me up sooner." He covered up lamely.

"Yeah, we're sure that's exactly what you were thinking, mate." Sirius, not to be deterred, put in.

"I really–" James stared in annoyance, before he was cut off.

"It's okay, James." Remus said before the situation could escalate further, throwing a meaningful glare at Sirius as he did so. Honestly, his friend knew _exactly_ how to get on someone's nerves sometimes. Remus sighed inwardly when all he got in return was a repent-less grin from the grey-eyed man. Sirius Black, he thought fondly, was one of a kind.

"C'mon, let's go downstairs. Liz must be wondering what's taking us so long." He said finally, walking towards the threshold after making sure that the other two were following. Sirius, with a bounce in his step, threw his arm over Remus's shoulder and they made their way down the stairs, James trailing behind, lost in his own thoughts yet again.

He was distinctly worried over how he would react to seeing her again. He had never…well, never had any female _friends,_ to be exact. And to be quite honest, James knew that he and Liz were far off from being _actual_ friends, and that they shared a very different type of – er, relationship – than the one she shared with Sirius. Or Remus even. What exactly was he supposed to say to her? He couldn't very well continue to show aloofness or indifference now, could he? And he couldn't – he just _couldn't_ – treat her the same way he did Sirius and Remus.

They were treading on a weird ground, and James Potter had no idea how to deal with it.

Damn, this woman was driving him crazy.

* * *

With a soft smile on her face, Lily moved about the kitchen, humming to herself. It was a song she remembered her mother singing to her when she was child. "Sweet and slow…rushing in the snow…mmhmm…a kiss of the sea," she sang under her breath, filling in the lines with a few words that had remained in her memory. A slight frown creased her eyebrows when she glanced at the staircase.

What was taking them so long?

It had been quite a few minutes ago that Sirius and Remus had strolled up to the terrace, muttering under their breaths about something or the other. Lily distinctly remembered hearing, 'strange', 'never', 'switched places', and a lot of mention of their third counterpart. Unable to contain her curiosity, when Lily had asked what was going on, Sirius had simply smirked and replied that the sun had risen from the west today.

Whatever _that_ meant.

However, Remus had been kind enough to explain to her in simple words that they were going to the terrace to wake James up. Sirius had looked positively thrilled at the idea, though the princess could not for the life of her figure out why. What was so interesting about waking James Potter up? Surely they did this all the time?

She finally gave up trying to answer her questions. Besides, Lily was in too good of a mood to be bothered just then.

"–you know you love me, Remus. And so does everyone. Tell him I'm right, Liz." Sirius's voice drifted down the staircase, and Lily looked up from where she had been – _trying_ – to knead some dough for bread. As she inconspicuously pushed her pathetic attempt away from the view of the men, she noticed that James was looking strangely lost in thought.

Mortifyingly, a blush graced her cheeks at the mere sight of him, and she suddenly felt jittery. Nevertheless, Lily greeted them with a cheery smile.

"Of course, Sirius. I am sure everyone loves you," she agreed instantly, much to the delight of the Marauder in question. He smirked, satisfied.

"Oh no, Liz. What've you done?! Now he's not gonna stop gloating for the entire day!" Remus groaned with a look of devastation on his face. The princess looked on amusedly as he collapsed into a chair and rubbed his temple. "I'm already fed up with him."

"Oh please, no one could ever have enough of Sirius Black–"

Lily chuckled to herself as the pair continued to banter nonsensically. Thinking nothing of it, she pulled out the dough from where she had hidden it behind her and looked down at the grotesque, water-laden _thing_ with a grimace. God, she really shouldn't even bother with it. The princess sighed softly.

"Bit too dry, don't you think?" Lily immediately jumped up at the voice, almost dropping the glob of dough in her surprise. Her face burned red when she looked up to find a pair of hazel eyes regarding her with no little amount of amusement in them. The princess had an inexplicable urge to whack the mass of dough into James Potter's face when he started to chuckle.

Oh, the nerve of him.

James smirked as he watched the girl in front of him flush scarlet and her eyes dart around, looking anywhere but at him. Liz's cheeks, apart from the blush, were lightly dusted with flour and her fingers were coated with a layer of dough – or more like goo. But despite her embarrassed expression, her big eyes were sparkling brightly and the flour on her face actually made her look quite attractive.

Thankfully, his mind was diverted from _that_ thought by the sound of her stuttering response. "I-I just – I am not very good at cooking," Lily admitted with a sigh, wondering if she could _possibly_ be more embarrassed.

"I gathered that," James chuckled again, pleasantly relieved that pulling along a conversation with Liz was not at all as awkward as he had expected it to be. "Do-do you want some help?" he found himself asking hesitantly as he moved to stand beside her. A hand immediately jumped to his unruly hair as Liz swiveled around to face him with a shocked expression.

"You-you want to help _me_?" Lily managed to get out, feeling nothing short of astounded.

"Um, yeah, I mean if you want me to. I'm just offering."

"You can–" she gestured wildly with her sticky hands at the mess in front of her, "–help me with this? You _know_ how to cook?"

"Hm, I manage." James shrugged, feeling a bit more at ease when he noticed her relieved expression. Clearly, this was just not her cup of tea.

He tried to hold in his laughter when Liz sighed and swiped her forehead with the back of her hand, still somehow managing to get more flour on her face. "Yes, please, I will be really grateful." She replied with a grin, stepping aside to make more room for James. "I just don't know what to do with this!" she exclaimed pitifully, prodding the mixture, which squelched disgustingly at the contact.

"There's just too much water." James laughed, finding the entire ordeal quite amusing. "We need more flour."

"More flour. Right." The princess nodded her head dutifully before turning around and scooping up some of the powder in her hand. With a proud grin, she deposited it on top of the gloop and looked to James for further instructions.

"Uh, more," he said, eyeing the far-from-enough mound of flour that was able to fit in Liz's palm. "That'll only manage to make it less liquid and more semi-liquid."

"Oh, okay." Lily nodded again, her bright grin slipping a little. After repeating her actions and adding another fistful of flour to the bowl, she turned to look at James expectantly once more. But he merely sighed and repeated, "More."

This time around, the smile all but disappeared from the princess's face as she gathered yet another handful and thrust it on the top of the now slightly growing heap of flour. Her face showing her quickly running out patience, she asked, "Is that enough?"

A thoughtful pause. And then,

"Nope, some more."

"This is outrageous!" Lily huffed angrily, a scowl adorning her features as she forcefully buried both her hands in the sack of flour and turned around to ask him if _that_ was enough. Unfortunately, at the same moment, James had decided to fetch the flour himself so as to not irritate her, as she already looked ready to tear out her hair. Inevitably, they slammed into each other.

The resulting collision caused Lily to gasp in surprise and drop her fistfuls of flour on the Marauder's face and down his clothes. And somehow, due to the impact, the princess found that a few of her auburn strands had conveniently gotten stuck to her sticky, dough-coated fingers. _Oh, brilliant,_ she thought, pulling her fingers away from her hair and grimacing at the sight. However, she knew that this was not the time to be fussing over _herself._

"I–I'm sorry, James Potter – I mean James. I did not realize that you were right behind me, and I didn't mean to throw the flour at your face. God, I should have been more careful. Really, I apologize. I just knew I was no good at these things. And now I have ruined _so much_ food, and my hair and your clothes and – uh, are you all right?" Lily stopped her rambling apology, and watched in stunned silence as James laughed.

And laughed.  _And_ laughed.

"Your face!" He sputtered uncontrollably, "Oh bloody _hell_! You should have seen your face!"

"My face?!" Lily asked indignantly, turning a fierce shade of red. There were tears in his eyes now, and really, he was asking for it. "You should see your face! You look ridiculous, like a poorly dressed ghost with strange hair."

As soon as the words left her mouth, with a gasp, the princess clamped her mouth shut. She could hardly believe she had added insult over injury. And she _never_ made fun of anyone. Even though James _did_ tease her first, and well, he _did_ look kind of funny like that.

Not to mention the fact that he was laughing _even_ harder than before now…

And before she knew it, Lily found herself joining in as well. It started with a few polite giggles, which soon turned into loud, merry laughter, which unbeknownst to the princess, made James grin even wider, and made his heart beat loudly against his rib-cage.

In fact, the lively sound had even managed to bring a small smile on the faces of the other two Marauders who watched the scene with nothing short of gob-smacked expressions on their faces.

"Ar–Are they…laughing?" Sirius asked, his voice coming out as a shocked whisper. "With each other?"

"I believe they are, Sirius." Remus answered from his left. Slowly, the two of them turned to look at each other with similar expressions of disbelief etched onto their faces. Sirius shot a glare over his shoulder at his best mate and his girl best mate as they laughed joyously yet again.

"What in the name of Godric is going on with those two, eh?" He asked with a frown. Sirius Black absolutely _hated_ it when he was left out of secrets.

"Hell if I know." Remus answered, looking – _as usual,_ Sirius rolled his eyes – thoughtful. "But whatever happened, I guess it was for the better. They seem happy." He shrugged finally, reclining in his chair and giving his friend the impression that the conversation had ended.

But Sirius would be damned if he let this go so easily.

"What do you mean 'they seem happy'?" He frowned. "James should have told us about this. You know he should have, Remus!"

"Yes, but–"

"No buts! I'm talking to him, and asking him what the hell is going on. And you are coming with me." Sirius ordered firmly, leaving no room for argument. Remus rolled his blue eyes and watched his friend turn around to glare more comfortably at James and Liz. Within a few seconds, however, Sirius sighed resignedly and softened his gaze until he was finally smiling.

Remus did not blame him.

Watching the pair laugh and grin at each other while they dusted off the flour and baked together _did_ after all make glaring at them quite difficult.

No, Remus Lupin did not blame him at all.

"Why are they so blind, Remus?" Sirius asked with a wry smile as he noticed James steeling glances at Liz as she kneaded the dough.

"Not blind," he shook his head of sandy-brown hair. "Too stubborn to admit the truth." He said, noticing James quickly look away when Liz lifted her head to ask him for instructions again.

"Bugger this shit! Why does everything have to be so slow? Maybe I should–"

"–No! You're _not_ doing anything, Sirius." Remus cut in firmly. His suspicion that the grey-eyed Marauder was indeed planning to play cupid turned out to be accurate when Sirius sighed dejectedly with a pout.

"But then everything would be–"

"–Slow, I know. But they need the time, Sirius. Liz is still new, and James needs more time to trust her completely. They both need more time to get to know each other. You or me meddling in this situation is not gonna help them anyhow. It's their life; we're just here to enjoy the show." Remus smirked, hoping that he had made his point clear.

He sighed in relief when Sirius smirked too. "I guess so. But I hate it when the show takes too long to just get on with it already." He complained.

Remus chuckled lightly. "I know, mate. Don't worry, me too."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	11. The Leverage

**Deception and Disguise**

**The Leverage**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"You called for me, Your Highness?"

The king's dark, pitiless eyes looked up and met the pair of fearful brown ones across the court room. Mary tried not to cower under his gaze as she bowed down wordlessly to the man, an unpleasant shiver running down her spine at his contemptuous sneer. Not for the first time in the last fifteen minutes did she wonder why His Highness had suddenly decided to summon her. Clearly, as far as Mary knew, she absolutely disgusted him.

That thought, unsurprisingly, did not bother her.

As far as she was concerned, Mary just reveled in the fact that he had not killed her or her family yet.

But she had a strong suspicion that the king was not very far away from doing so. She gulped at the thought, a sudden tremor of fright filling her body. What if – God forbid – he had suddenly decided to throw her out? Who would feed the family? Or what if _,_ Mary thought with a different sort of fear jolting through her, it was something about the princess? Had she been found?

So consumed had she become in her inner musings that she started at the sound of Riddle's cold, scornful voice.

"You were the princess's _friend_ , were you not, girl?" He all but spat, looking revolted at the idea. Mary felt the beginnings of annoyance form within her, but quickly squashed away the feeling. She knew it was best to keep her feelings to herself, lest she preferred to see her severed head.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Was all she said.

"Then I suppose you shall not have a problem in telling me where she might have fled, correct?" He continued in a casual tone, the malice in his black eyes searing her.

As Mary's heart thumped painfully against her chest, she forced herself to maintain a confused expression on her face. "I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but I – I don't know anything about the whereabouts of the princess. I would have definitely told you if–" she stopped speaking when the king raised up his hand with a petulant scoff.

"I do not have time for this sort of rubbish, you filth. Do not think me foolish. I know that princess Evans must have told you something before she fled like the coward that she is. Now, out with it, girl, or it will take me but a second to throw you into the gallows." He hissed, his voice laden with venom as he regarded the ashen-faced girl in front of him.

Mary had no doubt that the king's words were not mere empty threats; it _would_ take him but a second to have her hung, and even less to _decide_ to hang her. Suddenly feeling nervous and jittery, she bit her lip, her brown eyes darting around in all directions. She was stuck, and there was no way out.

Of course, not for a second did she consider ratting out Lily; no, she would rather embrace the noose than betray her friend. But on the other hand, her family…

"Pardon me again, Your Highness, but I really don't know where the princess is," Which was, in fact, not a lie. "I don't have any idea–"

"Stop playing these tricks on me!" The king instantly bit out, advancing towards the brown-eyed girl menacingly. His sword was out of its sheath and on her throat within seconds, freezing Mary in place. She felt the cold metal against her skin; having no doubt in her mind that even the smallest of movements would guarantee her death. The dread in her eyes stared back at her from the reflection on the sword, the absolute fear in them haunting her.

"I know for a fact, stupid girl," the king continued frostily, "that there was someone who helped the princess escape that night. The guards, however useless they may be, heard someone talking to her. And who here in the palace would _dare_ go against me and ally with that vile girl than her faithful servant?"

Mary felt herself stop breathing all together when the pressure of the sword against her throat seemed to increase. She was almost sure that the blade was going to leave a trail of blood behind. "Do not, for a second, mistake me for some naïve person who will buy every bit of rubbish that falls out of your filthy mouth!" Riddle whispered, his putrid, cold breath making Mary feel nauseated. "You want to save your little friend? Very well then, we'll see how well you do that locked up in the cellar."

Mary did not know whether to feel afraid or relieved when Riddle finally lowered the sword from her throat with his words, slipping it back into its sheath. Locked up in a cellar? For execution? "Your Highness, I–"

"Unless of course," the king continued loudly, drowning out the maid's protests. "You decide that you have some information worth my time." He paused for a reaction, and almost felt like plunging the sword through the insolent brute when she merely shook her head, despite the teardrop trickling down her cheek.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, but I do not have anything to inform you." Mary replied determinedly, her voice barely cracking in its conviction. She suddenly felt a new sort of fire blaze in her heart, and looked up to stare at the man fiercely. After all, she had nothing to lose anymore. "However, I just want to say that I am _glad_ Lily ran away. She deserves so much better than this. And I hope that she never returns because anywhere is better than here."

"You wretched creature!" Riddle spat, backhanding the girl in his rage. It was hardly satisfying when she emerged with just a throbbing cheek and a bloody lip. "Scum like you do not even deserve to live! It is a pity I cannot kill you…yet."

"W-what?" Mary found herself asking despite her better judgment. How could – this was impossible! Would he really let her live after what she had said? It was almost miraculous, and at the same time, utterly shocking. Why he would delay killing her for even a second, Mary could not fathom. In fact, she was surprised that the blade had not penetrated her body yet.

"Yes, a pity indeed," the king repeated, a slow, contemptuous smile suddenly pulling at his thin lips. Mary soon realized that this was worse – _much_ worse – than his anger. "But you see, I rather plan on having you locked up in the cellar for days on end. In the meantime, your beloved princess – and all of Gryffindor, of course – shall hear about you poor, poor fate. And when she finds out about it, do you know what she is going to do?" Riddle asked, his sneer rampantly cruel.

Mary knew. She knew, and she just didn't _want_ to. The man was using her as leverage. And what frightened her even more – what got the tears pouring down her face even faster – was the fact that she _knew_ his plan would work.

"She is going to try to save you, silly girl. She is going to come back." He laughed; a cold, inhuman laugh that made the hairs on the back of Mary's neck stand on end.

"No. Please, no. You can't do this. _Please._ " She begged, her voice cracking and her vision blurring from the tears. Mary felt her stomach drop with dread when the king looked at her with unadulterated disgust. She continued to plead, all the while knowing it was of no use.

"Stop this nonsense." Riddle scoffed sadistically before snapping his fingers twice. Two burly looking guards immediately scampered in, their eyes flying to the sobbing form of Mary before they dutifully bowed down to the king. It was, after all, not a scene that met their eyes very rarely.

"Take this filth away from here and lock her up." He ordered in a bored manner before sparing a glance at one of the men. "Oh, and Goyle?"

"Y-yes, Your Highness?" the guard immediately replied.

"Make sure that this sad news travels around the kingdom, would you? We wouldn't want our dear servant's sacrifice going to waste now, would we?" Riddle said mockingly, his cold voice producing more than a single tremor in the room.

"Er, yes, Your Highness." Goyle answered, though really, he had no idea what this was about. But he would have been crazy to question the king's motives. In fact, it was not even mildly surprising to him when Riddle simply walked across the courtroom towards his table to attend to his paperwork, all but ignoring the people in the room.

With a final bow to the seemingly unwitting – though he was anything but – king, Goyle, along with the other guard, took the now drained Mary by the arms and led her out of the room, the girl's soft sniffles echoing in the corridors as they made their way towards the cellar in the basement.

* * *

"Daydreaming?"

James jumped at the bitter voice, swiveling around to find Sirius and Remus looming over him, the former sporting an accusatory glare on his face, while the latter simply look exasperated.

"What?" James asked with a confused frown, having no idea why his friend looked so disgruntled. He had been fiddling with his dagger again; making sure not to chip away at wooden tables this time however. The only reason for that, he told himself, was because it was not pleasant hearing Remus's chiding.

He hoped to convince himself of that if he kept repeating it in his head.

"I asked if you were daydreaming." Sirius repeated loudly, his tone not a syllable softer than it had been last time. In fact, it seemed his scowl was deepening by each passing second. It was rather fortunate that Liz had gone upstairs into her room before Sirius decided to ambush his best mate.

With a roll of his eyes, Remus suddenly whacked Sirius at the back of his head.

"Stop with the dramatics," he ordered, ignoring the 'wounded' Marauder's indignant sputtering. "Just get on with it, Sirius, or I'm leaving."

"Will someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" James spoke up, annoyed that his peaceful musings had been interrupted for idle chit-chat.

"I was getting to it!" Sirius huffed out, glaring at Remus as he crossed his arms over his chest. Then suddenly, he whirled back towards James. " _You_ have been hiding things from us," he accused with a pointed finger. "Did you honestly think we would never find out? Did you think we would not realize anything? Did you think we were blind? Did you–"

"Oh for god's _sake!_ James, what happened between you and Liz?" Remus cut in impatiently, deciding to put the confused Marauder out of his misery.

James's hazel eyes immediately widened at the clarification and he ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling jittery. "Wh-what would have happened? Nothing happened. Everything's fine." Which really, he argued with himself, wasn't completely a lie.

"Oh yeah? Then care to explain to us how the two of you have suddenly become so chummy?"

"We're not–"

"Hate to break this to you mate, but we'd have to be blind to not have noticed the difference. You were laughing over stupid wasted flour this morning. _Even_ after she called you a bloody ghost! So just get on with it, yeah?" Sirius cut across him, throwing James an expectant glower.

"That's not – I don't – come on, Sirius, it's…" The hazel-eyed Marauder stopped suddenly and sighed before letting his dagger drop on the table. He turned around to give his friends his full attention, figuring it was better to just let it out. Sensing James's defeat, the two other men eagerly took their seats.

"Okay, look," he started, grimacing at the thought of explaining something he himself hardly understood. "Liz and I, we talked last night, alright. About…things."

"Things?" Remus repeated skeptically with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Yes, things." James insisted, feeling annoyed at having been stopped. "You know, everyday stuff. Anyway, we talked for some time, and she just didn't seem too bad. So I decided to, you know, because the two of you were so adamant about it, maybe give her a chance." He finished, his calloused fingers fidgeting with the blade of the knife expertly, almost subconsciously once more.

"So, that's it? You're friends now?" Sirius asked, a mixture of delight and disappointment on his face, the reason for which James could not fathom.

"Well, I wouldn't say we're friends exactly," he amended, sighing heavily. "I'm just _trying_ right now. To see if I can trust her. Does that make sense?" he asked, hoping that he didn't sound as much of an _idiot_ as he thought he did.

"Yes," Remus nodded with an encouraging smile, glad that this was getting _somewhere_ at least. "Yes, it makes sense."

"Okay," James said, pocketing his dagger. "Okay, good. So, when are we leaving then?" he asked, getting up from the chair and slipping his feet into a pair of boots.

It was almost twilight outside, the crescent moon dusting the streets with light as the commoners bustled about. After the flour debacle in the morning, they had run out of supplies and bread, which the men just could _not_ do without for supper. So it was with an expectant tone that James asked his question, assuming that the two Marauders knew the tacit plan of visiting the market.

"We can go," Sirius answered with a grin. "Right after I go and call Liz."

"Go and call – why?"

" _James,_ " Remus said warningly. "You're trying, remember? Besides, we can't just leave her alone here, right?"

"Right," came the disgruntled agreement. Really, all this trusting business was starting to get on his nerves. Who knew it was so tedious anyway?

* * *

"'Evening," Lily greeted cheerfully, pulling her cloak on as she made her way down the stairs accompanied by Sirius a few minutes later. As Remus grinned, James also gave a polite smile in response. "I heard we are going somewhere?"

"We are," Remus answered with a nod. "Just some things to buy here and there. Thought you might want to join us."

"Of course," the princess agreed immediately. The prospect of strolling through the streets was still new, exciting, and thrilling to her. Granted, she _did_ have an entire armada of guards scouring the kingdom for her, but that did not make the experience any less exhilarating. In an odd, surprising way, Lily was glad to be in this mess, getting the opportunity to meet these wonderful men, and getting to know a life outside of those suffocating walls. She reveled in their company, anticipated the rush. "Yes, of course, I'd love to," she repeated.

"Okay then, great!" Exclaimed Sirius as the four of them stepped out of Godric's Hollow and into the night. With small talk and easy banter, the group walked through the streets, laughing boisterously and chatting away. Lily could hardly believe that she had known these men for barely a week; she already felt a part of them, like she actually _belonged._

Soon, they found themselves in between the crowded market, commoners and vendors, alike, grinning at the Marauders as they passed.

"Oy, mate!" Sirius's loud call halted James in his tracks. He turned around and raised an inquisitive eyebrow, feeling decidedly wary at the mischievous gleam in his friend's grey eyes. "You go ahead with Liz. Remus and I need to do something else."

Oh bloody hell, James groaned inwardly.

"What? Why? What do you need to do?" James all but growled, controlling the urge of punching the smirk off of Sirius's face. Lily looked on with a confused expression on her face, her emerald eyes darting between the Marauders.

"We, er, that is–" Sirius fumbled, thrown off guard by the question for a second. Only a second. "Remus just _really_ wants to go talk to that girl over there. Thinks the lass is a sight for sore eyes," He grinned, gesturing his head towards a young girl with brown curls stepping out of a bookstore. James had to admit that the girl was pretty, but not nearly as beautiful as…

No. No, no, _no._

"No!" Remus protested immediately, his loud exclamation – _fortunately_ – stopping James from continuing with his train of thoughts. "I do not – oomph!" The blue-eyed man glared at his mate, who had conveniently elbowed him in the ribs with a pointed glare. It was all well and good that Sirius was trying to get James and Liz together, but why did _he_ have to be the one to pay the price?

Even though that girl _was_ rather pretty.

"Stop being so shy, Remus." Sirius covered up quickly, sending an overly bright grin to Liz who was too busy looking at the girl in the distance. James on the other hand, had given up all pretenses, and was openly glaring at his friends.

"If _Remus_ wants to talk to her, then why do _you_ have to go as well?" He asked with no small amount of annoyance.

"Why, for moral support, of course," Sirius answered without missing a beat. "Remus won't utter a single word without me by his side, nudging him on."

"Oh! She's leaving! Remus, you really need to talk to her," Lily suddenly said, tearing her eyes away from the brunette long enough to inform the Marauder of the fact. And before anyone could stop her, she was already shouting across the street. "Excuse me, miss? Please, can you come here?"

Quite a few heads turned at that, including that of the desired target's. Remus felt his face burn in embarrassment, while Sirius merely sniggered, finding the entire ordeal quite amusing. With an encouraging smile, Lily beckoned the confused girl over to them, not noticing the absolute mortified expression on Remus's face.

"Er, hello," The girl greeted the group when she arrived, a bewildered look adorning her face. "How can I help you?" On a closer look, Remus noticed that she had dark blue eyes and a heart-shaped face. He felt his stomach tumble around when her eyes flickered to him. Damn Sirius Black.

"Hello," Lily greeted back jovially. "I'm Elisa and these are–"

"The Marauders, of course," she finished for her, giving a polite smile to each of them, eyes lingering curiously on Remus's flushed face. "Hi. I'm Dora. Well, Nymphadora actually, but I'd rather people not use that name." she smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dora. We were just wondering if you could help Remus here with something," Lily lied smoothly, surprising James with her lack of hesitancy. For a second, he felt his heart swelling with something – _pride?_ – before he promptly squashed down the thought. Thoughts were –were _dangerous_ nowadays _._

"Help with what?" Dora asked, throwing a quizzical glance at Remus. The blue-eyed Marauders suddenly felt tongue-tied, unable to utter a single word. Say something idiot! He kept telling himself inwardly. Oh he was going to _kill_ his friends.

"Oy, you lot! Get moving! You're blocking the entire street with your little meeting," Someone shouted from behind them before anyone had a chance to answer Dora's question.

Craning her neck a little, the princess caught sight of Filch, the man looking no less grouchy from the last time she saw him. However, Lily soon realized that grouchy or not, he was right; they were indeed creating quite an inconvenience in the already narrow market by huddling together in the middle of the street.

And maybe it was because she suddenly felt embarrassed or because she decided to use the situation to her benefit, but whatever the reason, before she had time to think about or question her actions properly, Lily reached out and grabbed James's hand in hers.

And God, she was not the only one to feel the sudden jolt run through her body.

James immediately snapped his head towards Liz, who was determinedly avoiding his gaze. Slowly, almost unknowingly, his hazel eyes skimmed down to their adjoined hands, clasped firmly in between them. Liz's hand was smooth, small, and white; a stark contrast to his rough, large and tanned one. But they fit. Almost to a point where James _really_ wished they wouldn't. Because it made it hard for him to ignore _those_ thoughts from plaguing his mind, and even more difficult to attribute his erratic heartbeat to something else.

But – and he _hated_ himself for this – he did not want to pull his hand back from hers. Oh, hell no.

"James and I have to really go buy some things," Lily spoke up, completely oblivious to the inner conflict she was spurring within the man next to her. However, she was not oblivious to his gaze that was burning holes in the side of her head, nor was she oblivious to the feelings that their entwined hands were spurring within _her._ "So we should really get going. Sirius will, uh, explain everything to you," she informed Dora, throwing an inconspicuous apologetic look at the shocked, grey-eyed man before starting to walk away, pulling James with her.

"What? But–" Dora started, confused, before she was cut off.

"Don't worry," Sirius smirked, throwing an arm around Dora's shoulder, "Let them go. They're crazy people in love. Besides, Filch was going to piss in his pants if we ignored him a second longer." He said, successfully producing a bout of laughter from Dora at that.

"Oh, you scallywag–"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Sirius dismissed Filch's grumblings away with a wave of his hand. Suddenly, with a smirk adorning his face, he turned to face his counterpart, who was determinedly staring at the street and grumpily muttering under his breath. "Remus! You've been unusually quiet my friend. Say something."

The only thing Remus 'said' to Sirius at that was a glare that wished his potential demise. His friend, naturally, found the reaction amusing.

"Yes, you have been very quiet," Dora said, surprising Remus. "I thought _you_ were the one that needed help with something?"

"I, er, don't–"

"Oh! Look! I think I know her. Sorry folks, I gotta go; she really looks like she craves my presence," Sirius cut him off, his smirk growing wider by each passing second. He winked at Remus and waved at Dora, who returned the gesture with an expression between skepticism and amusement. "Toodles," Sirius gave a two finger salute before sauntering off towards a blonde who was indeed giving him the eye.

"Well, that was quite…sudden," Dora grinned, watching Sirius flirt away shamelessly, the girl indulging just as readily. "You know," she continued, turning to face Remus again when the pair across the street disappeared from view, "your friends are really not very good at subtlety." She smirked, her blue eyes dancing mischievously.

It took quite a few seconds for her words to make an impact on the blue-eyed Marauder. But when they did, he snapped his head towards her, jaw hanging in shock. "You – you _knew_ they were, you know, trying to…to set us up?" he asked, his cheeks tingeing a noticeable shade of red.

Dora simply threw back her head and laughed. "They couldn't have been more obvious if they tried. 'He needs help with _something_ '? Honestly?"

"Yeah, I guess it was a bit conspicuous," Remus chuckled lightly, suddenly realizing how _stupid_ the entire situation was. "I'm sorry about all this you know. We just wasted your time and–"

"I don't think it was a waste of time," Dora cut in, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled shyly. "I mean, I did get to meet you, didn't I?"

And suddenly, Remus felt the urge of killing Sirius drop significantly. After all, he thought as he returned Dora's smile with a grin of his own, Sirius presented more than enough opportunities at it was. He could die later.

* * *

"Oh my God, I can't believe that actually happened!" Lily exclaimed as she and James made their way through the street. The pair had, through a tacit agreement, pulled away their hands as soon as they were out of their friends' sight, though neither felt very pleased about it. "We actually just set them up," she whispered to herself disbelievingly.

"I'm impressed," James found himself saying as he threw her a half-smile. "You actually know how to lie."

Oh, if only he knew.

"Yes, I guess I do," Lily agreed, her smile slipping a little without her consent. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling the familiar churnings of guilt in her stomach. Oh God, what was she doing? These were nice people; people who deserved nothing but the truth from her. And here she was, meddling with their lives, letting herself get attached when she very well knew that someday they were going to hate her. Hate the very idea of her.

The thought made her feel nauseated.

Lily jumped, startled, when she felt a hesitant hand drop on her shoulder. She turned around to find James looking down at her with a puzzled frown. "Are you all right, Elisa?" he asked, regarding her with a careful expression.

"Yes," the princess nodded with a sigh. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Are you–" James was about to enquire further when suddenly, a loud shriek from up ahead reached their ears.

"What was that?" Lily mused, and with a shared confused glance, the pair started making their way towards the curious throng that had gathered before them. But just as they were about to reach their destination, the crowd parted and the small figure of a girl darted out from between, her cheeks stained with tears. With a loud sob, she continued down the street, brushing past James and Lily like a storm.

The princess gasped softly, the sound almost inaudible amongst the immediate ruckus that followed the girl's exit. Lily knew the small, barely eleven year old child. And despite the fact that she had met the girl only once before, quite a few years back when the girl was only four or five, Lily could recognize the face anywhere. She had the same curly copper brown hair and freckled nose as Lily's only confidante. She was Mary's younger sister, Rose.

A sudden tremor in her heart told the princess that something was very, _very_ wrong.

"Execution," James's grim voice carried to her ears, pulling Lily back into reality. The word echoed in her ears, eating away at her insides. With a deep breath, she tried to calm herself before looking back at James.

"How do you know?" she asked, her voice heavy with fear. James did not reply, simply looked down at a crumpled piece of parchment in his hand which Lily had not noticed before. It must have dropped when Rose ran past them, her unsteady fingers failing to keep it firmly grasped.

Her heart beating frantically against her chest, the princess let her eyes fly over the words on the paper, unable to stare at James's solemn expression any longer. With every passing second and with every word she read, Lily felt her throat constricting painfully, making it difficult for her to breathe. Moments later, with a ragged sigh, she saw James's fingers wrap around the parchment, crumpling it again before he threw it away angrily.

But the damage was already done.

She had seen and taken in every single word on the parchment, the message hammered into her like a nail. And even when she heard James's voice, somewhere far away, telling her that what she had read was not a nightmare, Lily still found herself unable to believe it.

"It's Mary MacDonald's execution," he said haggardly, the words hitting her like stones. "For treason against the king."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	12. Guilt

**Deception and Disguise**

**Guilt**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

She couldn't breathe.

It was suffocating and painful. The guilt was eating her up alive—oh god, Mary was…she was going to be hanged. Because of her!

Lily's hands were shaking as she stared ahead, seeing everything and nothing. Her friend—her only companion when she had _no one—_ was going to be killed, and she, Lily, couldn't do anything about it. The helplessness hit her like blocks of stones, leaving her wounded and bleeding as the fear washed over her.

With a choked gasp, she turned around and fled from the market, going wherever her feet were carrying her. The place suddenly felt too crowded, too congested, and she had to get away—to think, to _breathe_ again. Lily was barely aware of the stream of salty tears that were blurring her vision before quickly trailing down her cheeks.

It was all her fault!

If she hadn't burdened Mary with her problems and rants, her friend would have never become involved in all of this. She was the sweetest person Lily knew—she had been caring enough to help her escape, for god's sake! And _this_ was how she was being repaid? Where was the justice in that? Mary didn't deserve to die. Her _family_ didn't deserve this sort of pain.

As her sorrow quickly morphed into anger—unadulterated _rage_ that was directed at her cruel relative, Lily's tears fell even more heavily. So _this_ was his way of dealing with the situation? He was punishing poor Mary for what? Because she refused to give him answers? Because she refused to be as inhumane and cold as he was? The thought made her _sick._

But it all came down to the same conclusion.

It _was_ her fault.

And now her friend was going to die because of her.

A mass of unstable limbs and raw emotions, the princess collapsed onto the cold floor where her feet had carried her, breathing brokenly and sobbing uncontrollably. In her state of distress, Lily hardly had time to appreciate the privacy of her sanctuary, which was the same street where she had first met James, when loud, frantic footsteps echoed on the cobblestones, signaling the arrival of someone.

But Lily was far too broken to look up and face her intruder. For all she knew, it was one of Riddle's guards who had identified her while she blindly ran through the streets, and had now come to arrest her. Well, she thought bitterly through her tears, perhaps— _perhaps—_ her arrest would ensure Mary's freedom. But really, if the princess knew her uncle—and she did—she could say with a certainty that he would probably lock her up _and_ kill Mary all in one go.

That thought prompted another loud sob to wrack through her body, and Lily buried her face in her hands, foolishly hoping that the person—guard or no guard—would just leave her alone.

But this guard was nothing if not stubborn, even though he was more than a bit shocked at the moment.

"Elisa?" James called softly, eyeing the girl's crumpled form worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"Please, go away!" Lily cried into her hands once she recognized who it was. In fact, it suddenly hit her that his voice had followed her all the way into the street. Her blood had just been pounding too loudly in her ears for her to make it out as anything more than a blurred buzz in the distance. "Just leave me alone," she managed once more, hating the fact that he had to see her cry. It showed weakness, and she was not a ragged helpless doll, no matter how she felt at the moment.

"No." The strong conviction in James's voice instinctively made Lily snap her gaze toward him. Even in the dark alleyway, she could make out the determination in his hazel eyes as he stared down at her. "I am not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong," he repeated as another hot teardrop trickled down from the corner of her eye.

But Lily was already shaking her head. It was all too much. And she couldn't tell James what the problem was anyway. He'd never understand; he'd be too busy pushing her away when she told him who she really was.

"Listen, Liz," He started again, moving forward to take a place beside her on the ground. His gaze softened when he took in her pained expression and blotchy face. "If this is about Mary MacDonald's execution, then there is _nothing_ you can do. Don't you think we would have done something already if that was the case? That's how it is in the kingdom; Riddle kills innocents every day, and all we can do is nothing!" he spat, the anger visible in his clenched jaw.

"Please," Lily begged, his words affecting her much more than he expected them to. James felt one of her small, cold hands grab his own desperately. She was shaking. "Please, James. There must be something you can do. There has to be! Mary—she was my—she helped me—oh god, what have I done!?" With barely comprehensible words, Lily hid her face in her hands once more, trying and failing to gain some semblance of stability.

"Hey, it's okay," Though thoroughly confused, James wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders firmly and pulled her into his chest. "Shh, everything's going to be fine. It's not your fault, you—"

"It is!" Lily insisted as she buried her face into his shirt, the tears falling faster than ever before. She knew that she was drenching his shirt as she cried, but the grip James had on her did not leave her with much of a choice anyway. "It _is_ my fault. _Nothing_ is f-fine, James. If I h-hadn't—"

"Okay, okay, I understand," James said softly, pulling off the hood from her head and running his fingers through her hair. Lily knew he didn't understand—he couldn't possibly—but she was grateful that he didn't pry. Not yet at least. She was in no state to explain herself yet; stuttering words and shaky mumbles were all she could manage. So she let herself cry, feeling James's fingers run through her hair in calming strokes, and his other hand rubbing soothing circles on her back as she did so. And all Lily could do was cling to him desperately, listen to his encouraging mutterings, and try to steady her breathing, which had become frenzied and out of control in the past few minutes.

A time period that could have been mere seconds or lengthy hours passed where the two figures sat together in the dingy alley, one providing comfort while the other cried, before finally, Lily was able to reduce her panicked crying into barely audible sniffs. Her tears had dried up and her throat felt sore by the time James finally unwrapped his arms from around her.

The princess immediately felt his absence as the warmth left her, leaving her cold and bare.

"Feeling better?" He asked, gently tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear.

Lily simply nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed about the entire fiasco. Her emerald eyes were trained on the wet patch that her tears had left on James's shirt near his collarbone. She swallowed, wringing her hands together as a blush crept onto her face, and she tried to avoid the hazel eyes that she knew were looking at her for answers.

But it was useless, and a resigned sigh escaped her lips when she felt two fingers hook under her chin to lift her face until she was staring directly into James's eyes. Even in the darkness, Lily's breath caught in her throat when she noticed the whirlwind of emotions in those dark pools. Surprisingly, she felt the all too familiar prickling start behind her eyes again, and blinked to hold the tears back.

"Liz, how do you know that girl, Mary MacDonald?" James questioned softly, shifting his hands to hold hers, which were wringing nervously in her lap. He lightly rubbed his thumb along her knuckles in an effort to ease the tension out of her.

Lily gulped, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Maybe this was it. She would have to tell him now. Maybe he would be disgusted with her, or maybe he'd understand why she did it. But Lily would hear him, no matter what, because she knew she deserved anything and _everything_ that came out of his mouth. There was only one thing she had to think about right now—Mary's safety.

And James Potter could hand her over to Riddle if he wanted, as long as he was willing to help her free Mary.

"James, I—Mary was…is…she is my friend." Lily started, her heart palpitating so hard, she was sure the people in the streets could also hear it.

James nodded patiently. He had gathered that much from the way she had broken down. "At the palace?" he questioned.

"Y-yes, at the palace," Lily answered with a nod. Then, before she could talk herself out of it like a coward, she continued, "She also helped me e-escape from Riddle. And now she has been caught, and she is going to be _hanged!_ And I can't _do_ anything even though I am the pri—"

"Wait a second!" James cut her off, and Lily couldn't hold back the loud sigh that escaped her lips. Whether it was of relief or frustration, she did not know. Luckily, James ignored it and frowned, "Are you saying that Riddle is going to hang MacDonald because she helped you escape after you stole a bloody _ring?_ " he asked disbelievingly.

Lily's eyes widened instantly. She had completely forgotten about the lie she had told the Marauders. _Of course_ he would think that that's why she had run away from the castle. _Of course_ that would seem like the only logical explanation. Oh god, then maybe she wouldn't have to confess everything right now after all!

Was it cowardly? Definitely.

But the princess wasn't as stupid as to doubt that as long as the truth was not out, James would be more willing to help her save Mary.

So even though she felt disgusted with herself for—there really was no other word— _using_ him, Lily nodded her head. "Yes. Yes, I think that's why he is going to—to h-hang her." She finally said. But James was already shaking his head even before she had finished.

"No, no. That doesn't mean anything. You ran away days ago, and it was just a ring. If he hasn't even been bothered to put up posters of you, I don't think he'd be bothered to _hang_ someone for it." James insisted, squeezing her hand reassuringly, "Don't blame yourself for it, Liz. There could be thousand other reasons for his cruelty. It doesn't have to be something related to you."

But it _did_ , Lily thought remorsefully. She knew James was being nice and thinking logically, but it did not help when all she felt was the guilt churning away in her stomach and the growing dread that each passing second brought with it.

She did not have time for this. Mary was going to be hanged within two days, and she _had_ to do something about it.

"That does not matter, James!" Lily spoke up again, "We have to do something! Mary needs our help—she needs me. I _know_ you can do something. Please say that you can do something," she begged, the desperation taking over again as she clutched his hand frantically.

"Okay—just _calm down._ " James said, running a hand through his hair thoughtfully. It was not easy. He really did not know what to do. Liz was—she was putting too much trust in him, giving him too much credit. He could easily tell her that Mary's fate was not in their hands anymore, but…the way she was looking at him. Pleading. Begging. Hopeful.

James had long ago stopped contemplating the painful tugs he felt in his heart when he saw the tears in her eyes and heard the helplessness in her voice. He was past that point, and really, he was not stupid enough to sit there and ask himself questions that required much more attention than he was willing to give them at the moment.

So really, he didn't stop to think about _why_ he couldn't refuse her and tell her the truth right there. He just knew he couldn't. "I—I could try…something," he started, and hastily continued when he saw the eagerness building in her green orbs, "But it's not that easy, Elisa. Stealing something and freeing a supposed convict are two completely different things. Add to that the fact that none of us Marauders has ever been to the Gryffindor palace, and it just decreases our chances of success. And it's not like we can ask Peter to come with us; it'll raise too many suspicions—"

"I'll go with you!" Lily said quickly, making James snap his gaze back at her. She nodded vehemently, "I'll go with you to the castle. I know the place and it won't be too much of a problem to free Mary then." She said, knowing all too well that there was a high probability that she wouldn't be returning from the palace once she went. But Lily was not as selfish as to risk her friend's life for her own freedom.

James felt his stomach drop at her words. He hadn't expected _that._ "It's not—you can't—it's really _dangerous,_ Liz," he finally said on a sigh. "I don't think that's such a great idea."

"She's my _friend,_ James. She's like my sister! I can't sit back and watch while she gets hanged just because it's dangerous!" Lily exploded, a few tears leaking out of her eyes again. She angrily wiped them away and fixed the Marauder with a determined glower. "That's the point isn't it? Standing up against injustice? If you, Sirius, and Remus can do it, so can I."

James sighed resignedly; he'd known his argument was futile from the starting anyway. Still, he felt himself regarding the girl with a newfound respect. Her proud, determined expression, albeit mixed with sorrow, made him nod his head despite himself. "Okay, all right. You can come with us," he relented, looking none too pleased about it.

With a strangled laugh of relief, the princess threw her arms around James in a grateful embrace. "Thank you so much!" she cried, and after getting over his initial shock, James hesitantly returned the hug.

"It's okay," he replied, pulling back after a few seconds. "But Liz, you have to understand that I can't—I can't _promise_ anything, all right? I mean, I'll talk to Sirius and Remus about this and everything, but you must understand that carrying out something like this is going to be hard, and I cannot guarantee our success."

"I do. I understand," Lily said quietly, "But thank you anyway. For trying." She added, giving him a small smile.

James nodded slowly before sighing and getting up from the dirty ground. "Come on, let's go. We've been in here long enough. Remus and Sirius must be wondering where we are. And we still have to snag something for dinner." He reached out and offered his hand to Lily, which she took without hesitation.

"Yeah, you're right," Lily said, brushing away the dust from her trousers and pulling the hood back over her head again. "I really shouldn't have—why are you smiling like that?" She frowned confusedly, noticing the amused quirk of James's lips. It became even more noticeable when the pair stepped out of the alley and into the moonlight.

"Nothing," James's grin grew wider as he shook his head, "It's just that you said 'yeah'" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as they walked through the streets. "I think it's the first time you have actually. Every other time you just say _'yes'_. I don't know, I just noticed it."

"I—" Lily said before stopping herself and letting a reluctant smile bloom on her face as well. "You're right. I did say it. For the first time in quite a while, in fact." She admitted sheepishly, feeling a warm glow replace some of the sorrow that had taken over her entire being a few minutes ago. It pleased the princess to know that she was breaking through some of the dummy-like characteristics that being a part of the royalty had carved into her.

She felt more normal. Simple. Free.

"Well, it had to happen sometime," James smirked, glad to see the tension easing out of her. "I always knew that being so unnaturally polite was never good for a person's health. Haven't you seen how all the royal families have upturned noses? I'm sure it has come from indigestion. All because of the forced politeness, I tell you." He continued, finding himself chuckling along with Liz's merry laughter.

"Well, that's certainly an interesting theory," she said, chortling a bit. "Does that mean I have an upturned nose too?"

"No, you have a perfect nose," James said before he had a chance to think through his words. When Lily's gaze snapped to him in surprise and a light red tinged her cheeks, he fumbled. "I—I mean that, uh, no. You _don't_ have an upturned nose. Because—you know, you're not, uh, you're not royalty. Yeah, that's what I meant." He sighed, mentally berating himself for making such a blunder.

"Oh," Lily said, and try as she might, she couldn't keep the disappointment out of her voice. It seemed like no matter what she did, life came back to throw the same bitter truth in her face again and again; she was lying to them. She was breaking their trust. She was breaking _his_ trust.

James, misinterpreting her silence for relapse into sadness, ran his hand through his hair and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Look, don't worry about your friend. Everything's going to be fine," he insisted when she looked up.

"I know," Lily said, even though she didn't. Even though she knew _James_ didn't either.

Around an hour later, the princess and the Marauder were making their way towards Godric's Hollow, hands full of vegetables, fruits and bread. The streets were mostly empty, the commoners having retreated to their houses after a long day as the night fell. The moon was illuminating their figures as the pair walked, a comfortable silence surrounding them apart from the occasional sound of a shuffling shoe.

It could go without saying that something—something _big_ —had changed between the two. Lily could feel it, and James was more than aware of it. The change was not necessarily bad, but it wasn't something remarkable either; at least they didn't think it was. It was strange really. It disrupted the fragile friendship they had formed recently, and yet, at the same time…it bonded them. Stronger than before. And somehow, more delicate than before too.

They didn't know where they stood with each other anymore.

"Oh, thank heavens! Finally!" Sirius huffed out a breath as they entered the house. "We were just about to go look for you two. What the bloody hell took so long? Why do you _always_ take so long whenever we leave you two together?" He glowered angrily, crossing his arms and tapping his foot like an impatient mother.

"Sirius," Remus placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before gently shaking his head. His blue eyes took in James and Liz's solemn expressions and he regarded them worriedly. "Is everything okay? What happened?" he asked.

With a fleeting glance at the girl beside him, who was starting to look more and more ashen-faced by each passing second, James took a deep breath. "Sirius, Remus," he said, "We are going to break in to the Gryffindor castle."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	13. Tears and Training

**Deception and Disguise**

**Tears & Training**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

As James's voice finally came to a stop, Lily felt a hand drop onto her shoulder gently. Slightly startled, she looked up, her eyelashes sticking together because of the moisture that had leaked out from her green orbs in the past few minutes. Sirius's stormy grey eyes stared back at her, a small crooked smile pulling at his lips. "It'll be okay, love," he murmured softly, ruffling up her hair a little.

The princess tried to return his smile, and after much effort, hoped that she pulled off something that looked better than a grimace. She nodded, unable to reply because of the huge lump that had permanently lodged itself in her throat.

Blinking rapidly, Lily shifted her gaze away so that it rested on Remus. His blue eyes peered at her with compassion as he inclined his head slightly to the right, giving a gentle nod of his head to show his support. The gesture made Lily give him a watery smile in gratification, which he returned with an encouraging one. "Sirius is right—we'll save her, don't worry," he finally said.

As if on their own accord, her eyes dutifully traveled to the last occupant in the room, who was leaning against the wall silently. The fingers of his left hand were deftly playing with a dagger—the blade so sharp that it could just as easily chop those fingers off. Lily felt her heart race suddenly.

He was staring at her. Unblinking.

The intensity of the hazel eyes looking at her was enough to burn the princess on the spot. But she did not look away. She stared right back. James's eyes were strong, determined, and had such a fire in them that Lily knew she would back away from him if she were ever to be a target of his unadulterated fury. But right now, she wasn't. The fire in his eyes was not for her.

And yet, somehow, it was.

Something about the unwavering purpose in them made Lily raise her hand and wipe off the remaining tears from her eyes. She wasn't going to cry about this—not anymore.

She was going to act.

As the lump in her throat morphed into anger—at her uncle, at the unfairness of it all—James nodded at her, his hard expression boring into her insides. She understood his message; if she had to win this battle with Riddle, she would have to stop being a weakling. She would have to face him head on. So Lily nodded back with an exhaled breath. He was right.

"Okay, so what are we going to do?" she asked, finally breaking the heavy silence in the room.

"Uh," Remus exchanged an uneasy look with the other two Marauders before turning back to her with a solemn expression. "Listen Liz, we want to help—we really do—but, you have to understand that we've never been to the castle before and—"

"She wants to come with us." James's low voice suddenly cut in. He talked in a bland monotone, but it was not hard for Remus to identify the underlying exasperation, frustration, the feeling of complete _doubtfulness_ in it. "She knows the place, and she wants to accompany us." He continued, and Lily nodded vehemently in agreement.

"But—"

"Please, Remus, you have to understand," Lily pleaded, "She is my friend! I have to do this for her."

"I—okay," the sandy-haired man said on a resigned sigh. "Okay, I understand. But that takes care of only one of our problems. There are still plenty to go through. We'll have to train, get more costumes, come up with a witty background story, and make a bloody brilliant plan." He ticked off on his fingers.

"T-train? We have to train?" the princess questioned hesitantly, latching onto that particular requirement.

"Well, of course," Sirius replied with an obvious shrug. "Maneuvering through a palace full of beastly guards is no child's play, love. So unless we want to be squeezed into a pulp, we'll have to train and practice. Besides, it won't take much time—it's the costumes and plan we need to take care of."

But it _would_ take time, Lily knew it. She tuned out the conversation between the Marauders as they started talking about where they would get good disguises, and what would be a good story to back them up with. Her mind was buzzing, preoccupied with other thoughts—with Sirius's words, to be exact. Of course these men thought that she at least had the basic experience at these things—things like stealth and reflexes—if not more. They were deluded.

The princess chomped on her lip nervously. Hearing Sirius point out the facts to her thrust the harsh reality into her face—she knew _nothing._ Either she would be caught, or be killed within seconds. And what would happen to Mary, then? Would the Marauders still save her? Would Mary tell them the truth if they did? Would they hate her after they found out? Would _James_ hate—

"Liz! Snap out of it!" Sirius was waving his hands wildly in front of her face, calling her name. Well, her _fake_ name.

"I—what?"

A few feet away, James was staring at her with a frown creasing his eyebrows. "I asked if you were okay with the plan," he explained.

"Plan?" she found herself asking with a scratchy voice, her throat sore from all the sobs. The three men in the room were looking expectantly at her, one of them with more skepticism than the others. "The—oh yes, I'm fine with it. It's a…a good plan." She nodded, having no idea what they were asking her about. She just hoped that it wasn't something that would be too severe or dangerous. Then again, her entire life was dangerous at the moment.

Sirius and Remus nodded, much to the princess's relief, but James's hazel eyes narrowed suspiciously. "So you don't have a problem with disguising as a man? You know, for when we get to the palace?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She should have known. She should have realized it the moment Sirius and Remus whipped their heads around to stare confusedly at their friend. She should have recognized the look of challenge and trickery in James's eyes when he asked the question.

It was a pity she didn't.

"Um, yes," Lily replied. It didn't sound too bad, after all. It would definitely help hide her identity for longer at least. "Yes, I'm fine with it." She repeated with a nod of her head.

James's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline while the other two Marauders turned their incredulous stares towards _her_ this time. Lily's heart thumped against her rib-cage; something was wrong. But before she could open her mouth to question them, Remus spoke up.

"Liz, that—that wasn't part of the plan. We didn't even mention anything about your disguise," he said gently, his blue eyes flickering between her and James, as if he was unsure of what to say.

"What? You—didn't—I," Lily mumbled nonsensically, her face burning red as the men continued to stare at her. She bit her lip, looking away from their probing gazes with her eyes shutting close. She sighed. Defeated. Drained. Tired. "I'm sorry. I—I don't think I'm feeling too well. We can," she paused and gulped, "We can start training tomorrow. Good Night." The princess turned on her heel and all but fled the room, not wanting to embarrass herself any further.

"What the hell was that?" Sirius asked once the girl had disappeared up the staircase. He noticed the thoughtful frown puckering the corner of James's lips as his hazel eyes remained trained on the stairs leading up to the first floor. Remus, at least, seemed to be as lost as Sirius was; he shrugged, casting a fleeting glance at James every few seconds.

"I—I'll just be back. I'll go see what's—just a second, okay?" James said distractedly, and without waiting for a response from his confused friends, followed the path that Lily had taken only a few minutes ago.

"And I repeat myself. What the _hell_ was that?" Sirius asked again, crossing his arms over his chest. Remus shook his head, clearly at a loss for words. What _was_ going on? Liz wasn't listening to the plan—so what? What was bothering her so much? What was bothering _James_ so much? What did all those silent glances they threw at each other mean?

"Something's…changed, Sirius. Something's _changed,_ " was all he could say.

* * *

"Liz?"

Lily turned around at the sound of his voice. Her open hair was whipping around her face with the breeze on the terrace as she hugged herself around the stomach. She held herself with pride even when all the energy seemed to have doused out of her, and her emerald-green eyes were sad, but _powerful_. She looked beautiful. "James?" Lily squinted her eyes to make out the figure in the darkness.

"I thought you were going to bed?" He questioned, crossing the threshold to stand beside her. He noticed the goose bumps rising up her bare arms and controlled his sudden— _stupid_ —urge of pulling her into his chest.

She didn't reply to his question. She didn't have to; he understood.

"What's the matter, Liz?" He asked after a few seconds, only to cringe inwardly as the words left his mouth. _Idiot._ "I mean, apart from the obvious. Isn't this what you wanted? Everything's going to be fine. We'll save her," he tried to convince her. But she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were staring ahead into the inky night, and her lips were pursed tightly. She was holding everything inside.

After a few seconds of inner conflict, James reached out—unsure, wary, hesitant—and touched her arm. It was cold. He was warm. His fingers trailed down her skin, ignoring the tension in her muscles, and found her hand. Lily finally looked at him when his fingers interlaced with hers, sending her nerves jolting into frenzy. She opened her mouth, only for a shuddering breath to escape into the air.

"I—I can't," she said, shaking her head numbly. She would have cried—would've bawled her eyes out—but she had vowed not to. She had to be strong. She was strong.

"You can't what?" James whispered, tugging on her hand until her body was facing his.

"This." She said with frustration, her eyes skimming over his face. Darting. "I can't do this. It's too—and what if she _dies?_ I don't—I don't _know_ anything, James. I've never done this. But all of you _have,_ and I feel like this—this guilt is just tearing me up from inside, and…and I have to save her, but I can't even fight _myself_ , how will I—"

"Hey, hey, hey!" James stopped her, his hands drifting up to cup her face, his fingers curling into her hair. Lily's eyes finally stopped fleeting around and locked with his. The hazel looked greener in the darkness. They were burning into her soul. "Calm. Down. I've told you before and I'm telling you again – _don't_ take the blame for this. This was not in your hands. You couldn't have stopped it from happening," he whispered, staring down at her almost sternly. "You're doing what you can to help her, okay? And maybe you're not the best at fighting, and maybe this won't work, but at least you'll know that you tried, Liz. And that's more than most people would do for their friends."

There was a sudden silence in the air after that; the sound of soft breathing and gentle breeze were the only audible noises. It was when Lily bit her lip and looked away that the spell finally broke. James, suddenly feeling warmer in the face, dropped his hands to the side, too. She nodded. He cleared his throat.

"You would," her voice was too soft—it was foreign to her own ears. But it felt necessary; the calm in the air was too fragile to speak loudly in. She didn't have to look at James to know that she had his undivided attention. "You would do it, too. For Sirius and Remus."

For me.

He couldn't deny it. "I would. For them."

For you.

He watched her carefully. The way her pale skin shone in the dark, the way a small, sad smile pulled at her full lips, the way her green eyes searched his for something. Searching. Searching. She was about to say something—she opened her mouth.

"James, we—" Lily stopped short, shook her head, and finally sighed. "Goodnight James. I'll see you tomorrow." She said. He knew he should've called out to her, stopped her. What had she been about to say? Was it important? It seemed important. It felt important. He should've asked her to finish what she began. But he didn't. He didn't know why—he just…didn't.

And with a nod of her head, she was gone.

* * *

"We'll start with running. Is that okay, love?" Sirius's grey eyes turned to her inquisitively.

Lily nodded her head slowly, exhaling a huff of air. Running didn't sound too bad. She had run all the way from the palace to the abandoned wheelbarrow in a single night, after all. Running she could do. At least she could do _something._

"Alright, then." James said, rubbing his hands together. He crossed the living room, straight ahead, towards the staircase, but suddenly, at the last moment, he took a left turn, and the wall blocked Lily's view of him. She frowned in confusion. She didn't think there was a room there.

Her feet padded across the floor as she walked towards the staircase, and the frown on her face further deepened when she saw that there was nothing but a solid-looking wall on her left.

James had just…disappeared?

"What—?" Lily looked back to find the two other Marauders regarding her with amusement. She raised her hand to lamely gesture at the wall. "Where did he go?"

"Oh? He isn't there?" Sirius asked with wide innocent eyes that looked too comical to be real. Lily pursed her lips disapprovingly and glared at him from across the room.

"Sirius."

Remus laughed, walking past a smirking Sirius to stand beside her. "It's just a hidden doorway, Liz. An extra precaution for if Riddle was to ever find out about us. It leads us to the back of the house. A handy little idea we came up with a few years ago. Impressed?"

Oh was she. "It's brilliant," Lily grinned. "How does it work?"

"Here, you just push against the wall and slide it to the right," he answered, demonstrating what he said. With a light force and a purposeful shove to the right, the wall smoothly slid open like just another door, revealing the gleaming sun outside. Lily was beyond amazed.

"I thought you'd never come out." James came into view, crossing his arms across his chest impatiently. "Are we going to start or what?" he asked, and Lily's eyebrows rose on their own.

"James takes training a bit too seriously. Don't be surprised, love," Sirius muttered into her ear as he walked outside into the sun, throwing a wink at her over his shoulder. She chuckled to herself, following him out.

"Let's race up to the Willow first, yeah?" Sirius suggested, bouncing on the balls of his feet eagerly. Lily smiled at the look of childish excitement on his face. It felt nice— _better_ —to have something to distract her from the fear clawing at her insides. She was going to save Mary. She just had to believe in herself, believe in the Marauders. She figured adrenaline filled trainings would give her a better chance of saving her friend than grief filled tears ever could.

"Sounds good to me," Remus agreed with a nod of his head.

"I don't know where the Willow is!" Lily suddenly blurted out, just realizing the fact.

"That's okay; you can just follow us." Sirius shrugged casually.

"But if I follow you, that leaves no chance for me to win the race," The princess pointed out sensibly.

" _Please,"_ Sirius scoffed, looking mock-shocked at the idea. "You could never win a race while Sirius Black is present. So it doesn't make a difference." he smirked, looking quite pleased with his argument.

"I still think it's unfair." Lily insisted, fighting off a smile.

"Just run with me," James spoke up suddenly. Lily whipped her head around, only to find him strategically avoiding her eye. "Let's get this started with, yeah?" he added, dragging his feet through the mud to make a starting line. Lily nodded and came to stand beside him, completely missing the significant looks that were shared between Sirius and Remus.

"So we race up to the willow and touch the trunk— _without_ any sort of cheating, preferably." James said, throwing a pointed look at his grey-eyed best mate.

"I never—"

"On the count of three!" Remus cut off loudly, rolling his eyes at the childish antics of his friends. "One! Two! Three!"

And then they were off.

The wind was howling against Lily's ears, her blood pounding in her head. She felt rejuvenated, energetic. _Alive._ It was beautiful. The flush on her cheeks grew darker by the second, her chest was heaving, but her legs kept moving. Unstoppable. The sun was beating down on her, sweat forming on her forehead, rolling down her back. Her legs were quickly tiring, and soon she saw Sirius speeding by her from her peripheral vision.

"Losers!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, grinning madly as the wind pushed back his long hair.

"Come on, Liz!" Remus encouraged as he sped by her, too.

But the princess was growing exhausted. She had never run like this in her life. Didn't the men understand that she was not accustomed to so much exertion? They probably didn't. The overwhelming feeling of sluggishness in her legs finally forced her to stop, and she hunched over, breathing in deeply through her mouth.

"You can _never_ stop." James's voice suddenly whispered into her ear. His breath was warm against her cheek, and he was barely tired, Lily noted with no small amount of jealousy. She looked down when she felt his rough hand slip into her own, her labored breath catching in her throat. Suddenly, he was hauling her behind him. "Move your legs, Liz!" he shouted over the wind.

"I'm tired!" Lily bellowed behind him, grimacing at the feeling of heaviness in her legs. "I can't—"

"Yes you _can._ " James looked over his shoulder to tell her. Lily's eyes widened at the sight of his expression. It was _not_ what she had been expecting, or what she had grown used to. James Potter was...grinning. _What?_ "You can run. You're just being lazy."

"I am _not_ being—"

"Prove it."

Lily's green eyes narrowed dangerously at the challenge. "Fine." She said, before suddenly finding a new burst of energy in her legs. Her hand still clasped tightly in James's, she pulled him along, soon spotting the sprinting figures of Remus and Sirius in the distance. There were two things the princess immediately noticed after that. The good thing was that both the Marauders were tired by this point, their movements much slower than before.

The bad thing, however, was that she could spot the willow tree, too. If they were not fast enough, Sirius would get to it first.

"We can catch up!" James's voice boomed from her right. She redirected her attentions back to him. His messy black hair was sticking up in all directions—more so than usual, his hazel eyes were sparkling with enthusiasm, and a wild, almost child-like smile was adorning his face as he tugged her along, his long legs covering almost double the distance hers were able to in one step.

"How are you…not…getting tired?" Lily asked breathlessly as she wound her fingers more tightly with his in an effort to not fall behind. It was when the question left her lips that she heard the smile in her voice. She was grinning, too.

"Experience. To win from those two, you have to always start off slow. Sirius uses up all his energy in the first few minutes, and I have a feeling Remus just lets him win. Now come on!" He answered, and with a sudden burst of energy, he pulled Lily along with him, a bout of laughter escaping his lips. As they passed Remus, who was slow jogging at this point, Lily realized that she was laughing loudly as well.

"Keep going, Remus!" she shouted over her shoulder, the words coming out fast and euphoric. The blue-eyed Marauder raised his thumb to show that he had heard her.

"Bloody…tree…I swear…it keeps getting…farther and—"

"Oi, mate! Talking to yourself?" James teased, flicking the back of Sirius's head as they reached his tired form. The tree was only a few feet away, and Sirius's eyes widened at the sight of James and Lily. They had caught up with him. "You keep doing that, and Riddle will have a feast," James said before regaining his speed again and passing by Sirius.

"We will see who wins now!" Lily smirked cheekily, giving a quick wave of her hand as she dragged her legs behind James. Just a little bit more.

"No!" Sirius yelled in despair as he watched the pair touch the tree trunk before him. He plopped down onto the grass in fatigue, breathing heavily through his nose with a disgruntled expression on his face. "This is not possible!" He moaned.

"Oh, get…over it, Sirius. We're just…better than you," Lily breathed, grinning as she looked up at James's exuberant face. His chest was heaving, too, but he was undoubtedly in a better shape than her. As the laughter eventually died out, James finally slipped his hand out from Lily's, trying not to concentrate too much on the way it felt empty as the cool air brushed over his skin where hers had been.

"Okay, so what's next?" Remus asked a few moments later when everyone had a chance to catch their breath, and Sirius had stopped grumbling obscenities under his breath.

"Knife throwing."

Lily's head whirled around at the answer. Her eyes opened wide, she stared at James's expressionless face, her heart beat speeding up again. Only this time, it was for a very different reason. "Knife throwing? Why do we need to know how to throw knives?" she asked, swallowing her anxiety. "It's not like we have to k-kill someone. Right?"

Oh god, she hoped not.

"Well not exactly," James answered, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows. "It's more for defense than anything else, but if worse comes to worst, we might not have a choice. Sometimes you _don't_ have a choice, Liz. It's important to understand that sometimes it's either you or them. And in this case, we all know that neither Riddle nor his guards would have any qualms about killing us."

Lily bit her lip and nodded.

She wasn't so sure about James's hypothesis. The king wouldn't have kept her alive for seventeen years if he didn't expect some sort of loss at her death. But then again, it had become difficult for her to foresee her uncle's actions anymore; as far as she knew, he had still not put up any posters of her in the kingdom. What _was_ that man planning? On the one hand, he was practically letting her go free by not spreading the news of her escape, and on the other hand, he was _hanging_ someone in his anger?

It was confusing. Frustrating. Sick.

"I'll go first," James's voice cut through her train of thoughts again. With a confident expression, he stepped a few feet away from the Willow, right in front of the tree's knot, and pulled out a dagger from the inside of his boot. Lily immediately recognized the silver handle—it was the same one he was fiddling with the last night.

She watched in rapture as he pulled his arm back, his forefinger and thumb easily keeping the knife balanced, and just as the blade reached near his shoulder, he jerked his hand forward again, letting the knife soar through the air like a flash of light. Before her eyes even had the time to follow the movement, the knife had reached its destination.

The blade was sticking out from the center of the knot.

The princess's mouth hung open in awe. She had never seen anything so skillful, captivating, and _practiced_ before in her life. Everything she had seen and done in the palace had always been safe, dull, and monotonous. In a weird, new, exciting way, watching him throw the knife made her greedy. She wanted to do that, too.

James watched from the corner of his eye as Liz's gaze remained trained on the knife handle sticking out of the tree trunk. Her face held an expression of admiration—an expression that made him feel more pleased than he was supposed to feel. He shook his head, mentally berating himself as he walked over to the tree to retrieve his dagger. "You're up next, Remus."

For the next few minutes, Lily observed as the remaining two Marauders took their turns at knife throwing. Even though they were both successful at hitting the knot, none of their throws were as perfect and clean as James's. It soon became obvious as to who was used to the feeling of the handle more. The way James's long fingers held the knife, and the easiness with which he threw it kept the princess wondering if she would _ever_ be able to achieve that. She sighed.

She wouldn't _need_ to throw knives anymore when she returned to the palace.

"Alright, Liz. Your turn." Sirius said, passing the knife to Lily as he stepped back to allow her to take his position. The blade felt cool against her palm, which had become warm under the blazing sunlight. It was heavier than it looked, Lily realized, picking the dagger up by the handle. She licked her lips nervously, feeling her heart pound somewhere in her throat. Tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear, Lily looked up. The dark tree knot was staring back at her.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. Clutching the handle in her hand, she brought her arm back, trying to copy the movements that she had observed, and then swung the knife forward, watching with bated breath as it flew, flew, flew through the air…

…and landed a few feet away from the tree.

She exhaled in disappointment, letting her eyes trail to the ground in embarrassment. She couldn't even hit the tree, let alone the knot. She felt useless, helpless, dejected—

Then why was Sirius whooping?

"Way to go, Liz! That was great!" He shouted, picking her up effortlessly and twirling her around. "You're going to be amazing," He grinned, setting her on her feet again.

Lily frowned. "Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously. Her eyes snapped from one face to another. Remus was beaming happily, and James was smiling proudly as well. What the hell was going _on?_ "That was awful! The knife didn't even hit the tree!" she exclaimed, wondering if these men had missed the entire thing. The only problem with that logic was that the dagger still lay innocently on the grass, feet away from the trunk of the tree.

"No, it didn't hit the tree," James agreed with a nod of his head, "but considering that this was the first time you threw a knife, it was ten times better than what most people do. The first time Sirius threw a knife, he almost hit me in the eyes—and I was standing _behind_ him. So good job." He smiled again, running a hand through his hair.

Lily's eyebrows lifted on their own accord. He was serious? She was actually…good at this? Their grinning faces told her that he was. She slowly smiled back. "But I'm still nowhere near ready. I think it would be nice to know that I can hit the trunk," she smirked sheepishly.

"That's true," Remus agreed with a chuckle. His gaze found Sirius's and he gave an inconspicuous, but meaningful inclination of his head, his blue eyes suddenly gleaming mischievously. He turned back to Lily. "You do need quite some practice. And given that you and James won the race, Sirius and I are going to run back to the house—try to improve this time, you know. Besides, James is the best knife thrower amongst the three of us. He'll be able to help you." He said, letting a small smile creep onto his face.

"Oh, yes," Sirius added, catching on. "The best. James loves that knife so much, he practically sleeps with it. No one better to teach you at all. We're just gonna go and…run. While you learn from the expert." He said, grinning madly. Remus subtly rolled his eyes—Sirius was overdoing it so much.

"Okay then, we'll just be—"

"No, wait!"

"—going now. Bye!" They waved, practically fleeing from sight. Lily snapped her mouth shut, raising a dubious eyebrow at their disappearing forms.

"What was _that_?" she asked, turning back to look at James, who, much to her fascination, was glaring daggers into the distance.

"I have _no_ idea." He answered, almost growling under his breath. He sighed after a few moments, shaking his head as he looked back at Lily. "Forget about them. Let's continue practicing, yeah?" he asked. Lily nodded, walking forward to pick up the fallen dagger from the ground.

"So, what am I doing wrong?" she asked, holding up the knife and waving it in front of his face. A light gasp escaped her lips when he suddenly grabbed her wrist, the handle falling loose from her grasp and dropping to the ground between them. He yanked her closer, her body almost slamming into his, and Lily cringed from the suddenness.

" _This_ is what you're doing wrong," he explained quietly, his hazel eyes piercing her green ones. " _Never_ hold something as dangerous as a knife loosely in your hand. You need to have a firm grip, need to be awake, and alert. If you're not, someone can grab you from behind, snatch the knife, and easily slice your throat with the same." He said blandly. Lily gulped—the picture he was painting was vivid, scary, and at the same time, completely realistic. He was right.

"Okay," her voice came out as more than a squeak. She cleared her throat. "Okay," she repeated, louder this time.

James nodded, letting go of her wrist and stepping back. "Good," he said, picking up the knife once more. "Give it another try." He extended his hand, offering the dagger, handle first, to her. Lily took it, her fingers shaking a little, but keeping a tight grip on it. She took her position in front of the tree again.

"Release the tension from here," James whispered into the ear, resting his hand on her stiff shoulders. An unexpected shiver ran up her body at the contact, and she was eternally grateful when he didn't mention anything about it. "If you keep your body so tight, your aim is bound to go wrong—you'll end up throwing it farther than you want. Relax, Liz." He said, his breath hot against her ear. Lily gave a jerky nod of her head, exhaling slowly, and feeling the tension unwind from her shoulders.

"Now slowly pull your arm back to your shoulder, and use that force to throw it forward again," he instructed, moving his hands from her shoulder to wrap them around her fingers on the knife handle. He shifted her hand a little and moved her fingers until they were properly in position. "There. Now go."

"Okay," Lily said, more to herself than to him, before pulling her arm back. With her heart thudding painfully hard against her chest, she thrust the knife forward once it reached her shoulder, and watched with a feeling of fearful anticipation as it left her hand smoothly, cutting through the air as it went.

She felt James's hand squeeze hers before she saw it.

The dagger struck the tree knot.

Barely, but it did.

The princess felt her entire body sag in relief at the sight, and without thinking, she slightly turned her body to the right and dropped her head onto James's shoulder. He smelled like sweat, and grass, and wood. Lily found it soothing right then. "We are going to save her, right?" she asked, her voice sounding a little muffled.

James's arm lightly encircled her waist, resting on her lower back. "We're going to save her." He promised.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	14. A Palace of Secrets

**Deception and Disguise**

**A Palace of Secrets**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"Hey, Remus?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you—do you think I should tell her?"

The light-haired Marauder slowly removed the arm that was draped over his eyes, peeping open an eyelid to look at his friend. "Tell who about what, exactly?" he asked.

"Liz, of course!" Sirius clarified impatiently, turning over on his mattress so that he could face Remus properly. His dark eyebrows were furrowed thoughtfully, and Remus realized that whatever this was, it had been bothering Sirius for quite some time now. After a few seconds of silence, he continued again. "Do you think I should tell her about—about…you know, my past?" His voice was soft. Vulnerable. Like a child's.

"Sirius," Remus started, now completely alert. "You don't have to tell her anything if you don't want to. No one's going to force you to do it. But if you're asking me, then yes, I think you should tell her. Liz is more than trustworthy enough."

"I know that," Sirius sighed, sitting up and leaning on the wall behind him, arms draped over his knees. His grey eyes trailed towards the floor weakly, and Remus was suddenly reminded of the boy he had met eight years ago, covered in grime and sporting a bleeding lip with torn clothes. The picture wrenched at his heart, gnawing menacingly until he promptly shut it out. "What if…what if she doesn't accept me? What if she hates me after I tell her?"

"She won't." The answer was short. Firm.

"How do you know that, huh?" Sirius continued loudly, his cheeks flushing from sudden anger. Remus sighed inwardly—this issue was _really_ bothering his friend. Just like it did eight years ago. He was responding with anger. Just like he did eight years ago. And there was only one person who could make Sirius see straight. Just like eight years ago.

"Come on." Remus stood up suddenly, feeling almost annoyed at having to do this. He was tired from the day's training and he wanted to _sleep._ But here he was, convincing his moronic friend about things that were nothing short of obvious to him. "Follow me."

"Where are—"

"Just walk, would you?"

Sirius huffed in annoyance, but got up anyway. He had already followed Remus out the room and up the staircase when he finally realized where they were headed. He glared at the back of Remus's head, knowing exactly what his friend was planning on doing. He felt like a small child being taken to his father for punishment. Remus was the nanny.

A small smirk pulled at the corner of his lips at that thought.

"James, I need your help." Remus's voice brought Sirius back into focus. They were standing on the terrace. The stars seemed dim that night, plunging the kingdom into darkness as the cool air whipped around them. A tall figure with messy black hair was lying on his back, arms crossed behind his head.

"Help with what?" James asked without looking up.

Remus took a deep breath. "Sirius wants to tell Liz about…about what happened."

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed, growing so tense that even the light whooshing of the wind seemed as loud as a howl. Slowly, James opened his eyes and stood up. "And…?" he asked, his voice inquisitive yet dark at the same time. He was staring straight at Sirius, almost as if daring him to express his anxiousness. It was intimidating, but Sirius did not look away.

He was nothing if not stubborn. And temperamental.

"And," Remus answered, stretching out the word, "he thinks Liz is going to hate him because of his past. I've tried talking to him, but nothing penetrates his thick brain. You talk to him, I've given up." He sighed, purposely avoiding Sirius's glowering gaze.

James sighed, running a hand over his face. He looked exhausted. Exasperated. "Really? This again?" He said incredulously. "I didn't think this was ever going to be an issue again. What on earth is wrong with you man? Are you blind? Can you not see Remus and I here with you like we've been for the past eight years?" His hard eyes bore into Sirius accusingly.

"It's different," Sirius sighed, suddenly deflating like a balloon.

"It's not." James pressed with conviction.

"It is!" Sirius cried in frustration. "Not everyone's like you two. Not everyone understands! She might not!"

"I might not what?"

The three men visibly jumped in surprise at the sound of her voice. They whipped their heads toward the threshold, where Lily stood, small, but confident. Tired, but fierce. She walked towards them, coming to stand beside Remus as she looked at each one of them. "What? I assume you were talking about me. So _tell_ me. What might I not understand?"

The Marauders stared at each other with questioning looks, unsure of whether it was safe to tell Liz or not. Sirius's heart was beating fast, almost as if trying to jump out of his chest. He didn't know why—it had been only a little more than a week—but she had become like a sister to him. Her laugh, her happy, entrancing eyes, her kind nature, it was all so…so _pure._ He didn't want to taint it with his past.

He was scared. Terrified.

Her friend was about to be hanged the next morning, and the hatred he had seen in her eyes for Riddle…Sirius would not be able to bear it if she had the same feeling for him. He knew he had never done such a thing—would _never_ do such a thing—but his blood was the same. The same arrogant, snobbish, and ruthless _royalty_ blood.

She would hate him.

He took a deep breath and looked up, straight into her eyes. Liz's head was slightly inclined, her eyes innocent and curious. He couldn't lie to her. He _wouldn't_ lie to her. He was not his family.

"Liz," Sirius began, his voice hoarser than usual. "There is something you need to know…about my past."

Lily licked her lips, nodding her head. She remembered that night at the terrace when she had talked to James. When he had seemed so reluctant to talk about Sirius's past. At that time, she had known that this was not a topic to be taken lightly. But seeing the solemn faces of the Marauders now— _especially_ Sirius's—Lily realized how wrong she was. This matter seemed ten times more serious than she had thought. And if they trusted her enough with it, she decided to play her part and listen.

Maybe that would help squelch the guilt a bit.

"You worked in the palace right?" Sirius asked, his voice quiet and cautious. Lily was shocked at the tone.

"Yes," she croaked.

"Well, then did you, by any chance, hear about…about the royal family of the B-Blacks?" He finally got out, holding his breath. From his peripheral vision, Sirius saw Remus and James tense up as well, eyeing Liz's reaction carefully.

Lily was confused. What did that have to do with _anything?_ "Yes, of course I've heard of them, but how does that matter, Sirius? The Blacks are just—" she stopped in a gasp, her hand automatically lifting to her lips.

The royal family of the Blacks.

Sirius _Black._

He was…

…Sirius was _royalty?_

Of course, she realized with a jolt. Of _course_ he was! It was a wonder she hadn't noticed before. After all, how many people actually bore the title of 'Black'? But the idea that this man—a _Marauder_ —could have been a part of that dark family seemed so ludicrous in itself that Lily hadn't even _considered_ it!

Yet here was the truth. Glaring at her. Mocking her.

"Yeah, I can understand your surprise," Sirius said. His grey eyes were sad, cowering. The princess's stomach turned painfully, but she was still in too much shock to do anything but stare. He sighed. "And I regret that fact every _single day,_ Liz. I was thirteen when I left the Slytherin kingdom, sick of all their cruelty and abuse. Those people were supposed to be my _family,_ but instead they treated me like _scum!_ " he spat.

Lily winced at his harsh tone, never having seen this side of Sirius before.

"It had always been difficult, living with them and watching them ally with rulers like Riddle, but I was too weak to do anything." He continued, "However, that night—it was _horrifying!_ I was hiding, watching as they did it. Riddle was there, of course, and he was the one who ran the sword through him, but my family was involved, too. I couldn't do anything, I was too scared and—"

"Wait!" Lily interrupted, speaking up for the first time since the shock washed over her. She was positive she could feel her heart pumping in her throat. "R-Riddle ran his sword th-through whom, exactly?"

"The king," Sirius clarified, "King Charles Evans."

All the air suddenly left Lily's body in a rush. It was like a punch to the stomach. She stumbled back a step unstably. _Oh god!_ Someone caught her upper arm in a firm grip, and she looked up to see hazel eyes looking down at her in concern. "Are you alright?" James asked, frowning.

A choked, strangled sound escaped her mouth and she shook off James's grip. "I'm fine. What-what happened after that?" She directed the question at Sirius, pushing back the tears pricking at her eyes.

Sirius took a deep breath. It was hard to tell what Liz was feeling at the moment. She seemed to have received quite a shock when he mentioned the king's death—though why, he did not know—but he was still not sure of her feelings for him. "Well, I thought I was well-hidden behind one of the carriages, but then my father spotted me. I knew I should've run, but all I could do was stare at the king. There was too much blood, was all I was thinking. Luckily, my father had enough humanity to not turn in his own son to that murderer. He kept his mouth shut until Riddle had left before cornering me."

"And-and then?" Lily's voice was just more than a whisper.

"And then," he choked on the word, "Then for the first time in thirteen years, I spoke my mind. I told them _everything_ — _every_ goddamn thing I had been suppressing inside." A dark smirk crossed Sirius's lips, "It felt bloody amazing. Of course, then I had to pay the price, too. My mother was a 'fine lady'—she had the most creative methods of punishment up her sleeve."

Sirius flexed his arm at the elbow, and Lily could see a ragged burn, dulled over time, running diagonally across his tanned skin. From the looks of it, it had been a deep burn, and was most likely going to mar his skin forever. She closed her eyes, grasping James's forearm tightly as she tried with all her might to not imagine how Sirius might have gotten that burn. It did not work.

All she could see was a young boy. Scared. Bleeding.

"That night was the end of it. I left the castle when everybody had gone to bed and mother was too tired of torturing me. Even my younger brother, Regulus, refused to come with me—said I shouldn't have done what I did." Sirius frowned, looking down, and Lily could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes. But when he looked up again, there was nothing. "I did get him to promise that he wouldn't tell anyone, though. I guess that was a consolation. Anyway, I broke my arm while trying to jump out my window, but somehow managed to reach Gryffindor. I was so stupid," he shook his head with a wry grin. "I thought I could go around telling people that Riddle killed the king, and they would believe me."

He sighed as Remus rested a hand on his shoulder, a sad smile curling his lips. "No one did," he continued in a soft voice. "Or maybe they did, and were too scared. I roamed around for _days_ without food, or fresh clothes and a broken arm. People would look at me, shake their heads in pity, and move on. Not that I could blame them—everyone was getting poorer by the second." He paused. There was silence, and for the first time that night, Lily spotted a genuine smile forming on Sirius's face. It was small, but a happy one.

She was so relieved, she felt tears rolling down her cheeks. For him. For her friend. For her brother. For a brave man.

"And then they found me," Sirius said, his voice filled with such fondness that Lily felt that tears fall faster, heavier. "James and Remus, prats that they are, refused to leave me alone even when I bit off their heads with all my moodiness. They believed me, helped me recover, and gave me a new identity as a Marauder despite my past. They accepted me when no one else did." He finished softly, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Please," James gave a watery chuckle, "We didn't accept you; you practically threw yourself at us," he joked, playfully slugging Sirius in the shoulder as Remus inconspicuously wiped at his eyes. The grey-eye Marauder simply smirked, ignoring his own tears as he stared at Lily unwaveringly.

"Well?" Sirius asked nervously, "Are you going to say something?"

Lily simply shook her head, and in two long strides, walked towards Sirius, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. She sobbed into his shoulder, her petite body shaking as Sirius soothingly rubbed her back. "Idiot," she blubbered, "I cannot believe you thought that I might not understand. Of course I understand!" She felt Sirius relax against her almost instantly, and he held her more tightly, teardrops leaking out of his eyes.

Lily and Sirius soon felt two other pairs of arms wrap around them as James and Remus joined the hug, their own tears and laughter spilling out, creating memories. It was a wonderful moment, and no one wanted to let go. The future was undecided and dangerous, but they had each other.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

Her hands were shaking as she held the knife in her palm, her breaths coming out in spurts. This was it. She was going to do this. She _had_ to do this, she told herself, for Mary. If her friend was willing to sacrifice her _life_ for her, then Lily could at least sacrifice her freedom in return. If it came down to it, Lily knew she would do it—she would marry Lucius.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt a pang inside her chest, almost as sharp as a piercing blade. However, the reason her fingers slackened and the knife slid out from her palm had nothing to do with that feeling. It had everything to do with the first person that she thought of after thinking about marriage. It…couldn't be.

The anticipatory clang of the knife hitting the floor never came. Instead, deft, trained fingers caught the handle before the dagger could touch the ground. Lily looked down as she felt the knife being pushed back into her palm once more by big, callused hands. She felt a sudden tingle go down her spine at the touch.

"Careful," James warned, looking down at Lily's green eyes. The rest of her was altered; she was donning a black wig, the strands just long enough to cover her red hair, and a black shirt with brown breeches and boots. It would do. Her lips were slightly parted, a stunned look on her face. "Liz, are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

"Yes," Lily took a step back, fidgeting uncomfortably, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine, James." She glanced at him fleetingly, her heart still thudding painfully from moments before. He was in a disguise as well, but nothing extravagant; his hair was a light brown color instead of black, and it was ten times less messy. His clothes constituted of simple colors like hers did. He was still James.

"Doesn't seem like it," he argued, frowning as he dropped his arm back to his side. "Why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying!" Lily burst out, more loudly than she meant to. She sighed. "I'm just a little…nervous, I guess."

He didn't believe her. "Okay."

"Where are Remus and Sirius?"

"Here we are, love," Sirius greeted. Lily whipped around to face the two men, and couldn't help it—she laughed. Sirius was wearing a wig similar to James's—only a shade lighter—and Remus was wearing a black one. However, the aspect of the disguise that _really_ distracted her was their stomachs. They were both sporting fake bellies. _Large_ fake bellies. "Don't we look dashing?" Sirius asked.

"Dashing pigs," James replied flatly, much to Lily's amusement.

"Oh shut up," Remus grumbled, trying to shift his belly into a more comfortable position. "You don't get to be all snarky just because you were lucky enough to not be a part of the diversion tactic. Please just make sure that you get MacDonald out of there. Fast. I don't think they'll buy our story for long."

At the reminder, the atmosphere became solemn again. James nodded. "Let's go." He sighed.

As they were stepping out of Godric's Hollow, Lily bit her lip and allowed herself a last good look at the house. She would miss the place. And the people. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and turned back around. Stop, she told herself. It's no use—you know you have to do this! Resolving herself to her fate, the princess held her head high and briskly walked out of the house, coming to stand beside James.

"Ready?" He asked.

Lily nodded, unable to maneuver her voice around the painful lump growing in her throat. She felt the pressure of the dagger stuffed inside her boot, cold and heavy.

It was now or never.

* * *

"Okay then, here goes nothing." Sirius said, rubbing his hands together as he shifted from one foot to another. Lily watched, adrenaline pumping through her veins, as Sirius and Remus turned around the corner and disappeared towards the castle. Her hands were getting cold with anxiety, tiny pebbles crunching under her boots as she nervously tapped her foot. She slowly poked her head around the stone wall to watch the two Marauders.

"They're talking to the guards," Lily breathed, bracing her hands on the wall to stop them from shaking. "Wh-when are we supposed to go again…?" Her voice trailed off as she felt fingers wrap around her wrist. They were warm and comforting, the contrast almost laughable against her own. She slowly turned around, raising her eyes to find hazel pools staring back at her.

Her breath caught in her throat when she noticed the decidedly less amount of space that remained between his body and hers. James was looking down at her with the oddest of expressions—his brows furrowed and his eyes unwavering. "Relax," he finally said, his breath tickling her face. "You need to stop worrying so much."

"I'm not worry—"

"Shh," He said forcefully, squeezing her wrist a bit more firmly. Lily was positive she completely stopped breathing when James raised his other hand to press his finger to her lips. She felt trapped—pressed between his body and the wall—yet at the same time she had never felt more liberated. Safe. "You are. You _are_ worrying." He insisted, "And it's okay," his fingers moved away from her lips towards her cheeks, his hands strong and reassuring.

Lily exhaled deeply when he rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes. Her heart thudded. "It's okay because sometimes fighting the truth is just pointless." He whispered, his thumb ghosting over her cheekbone. Lily smiled softly.

She knew. She had known since the beginning. It _was_ pointless.

She had fallen in love with James Potter.

It was funny really, she found herself thinking. He had been so rude to her in the beginning, yelling at her every chance he got. But she was _never_ able to hate him for it. Maybe that was because of the constant guilt that kept churning in her stomach or because of the fact that no matter how much he yelled, James always— _always—_ helped her. She didn't know how, or when, but it was something that had always been there. It was beautiful. Almost miraculous. Magical.

"Liz…" James breathed.

And then the magic broke.

What…what was she _doing?_ She couldn't let this happen. It was so, _so_ wrong! She was deceiving James. _And_ herself by thinking that this could actually be possible. She did not deserve any of this happiness. She did not deserve him.

"James," Lily stopped him. She opened her eyes. Her heart thudded. "We…we should get going." She said. Lily didn't know how he would take this—like a rejection? Maybe. Or maybe as a smart choice for their plan? They _didn't,_ after all, have time for this. She didn't know what he was thinking. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know either.

She saw James swallow, exhale heavily and then pull back. He opened his eyes. She looked away. "We should." He agreed, his voice unnaturally hoarse. He peeked around the corner just as Lily had done minutes before. "They've gone inside," he said without looking at her. "Come on."

"Wait," she reached out and caught his arm. James looked down at her expressionlessly, and she fidgeted. "I…uh…well just," she sighed, and locked her eyes on his again. Slowly, hesitantly, she rose on her tip-toes to place a kiss on his cheek. She felt James freeze at the contact and quickly pulled back. "Thank you. For doing this." Lily added, letting go of his arm. There was a weird feeling in her stomach, all her senses tingling. Sparking.

"Erm," James broke out of his trance, clearing his throat. "You're welcome," he said softly. "And just…be careful, alright?" he added as an afterthought, frowning slightly.

Lily nodded. She knew there wasn't much danger to her life inside the palace. If the guards came to kill her, she could always save herself with her identity. The same, however, could not be said for her friends. For James. Riddle would kill them in an instant. The thought made her feel sick, agonized. She wanted to scream, cry, plead. _Tell_ him the truth.

"You too," she said instead. Because that was the proper thing to do. She had to think about Mary now. There were only a few more hours left, and this was not in the plan. She did not have the right to play with someone's feeling. Not with his. Not even with hers.

So with stolen glances and unsaid whispers, the pair of them stealthily made their way towards the palace entrance, burying their secrets and confessions inside. Leaving their life up to fate.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	15. Inferno

**Deception and Disguise**

**Inferno**

Disclaimer – Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

"Your Highness?"

"What is it, Goyle?" The king's black, pitiless eyes snapped up in annoyance. "I did not call for you. _Leave._ " His thumb craftily ran over the hilt of his sword, tracing the miniature snake carved into the gold.

Ten days. A whole _ten days_ had passed since that filth managed to escape from right underneath his nose, and Riddle did not have the patience to talk to these idiotic guards.

"B-but, Your Majesty," Goyle stuttered, fearfully eyeing the king's pale, white knuckles. "There's someone here to meet you."

"Well, then, spit it out, Goyle, who is it?"

"It's that Pettigrew man with the beverages," Goyle quickly answered, keeping his eyes trained to the ground. "We-we have run out of supplies."

"Send him away!" Riddle snarled immediately, his voice as cold as ice. "I do not need anything! And what happened to finding that wretched princess, Goyle? Have you forgotten what I can do?" He stood up, his feet kicking away the ottoman on which they rested. He advanced towards the fearful guard, drawing his sword, but letting it hang by his side. "Do you need me to remind you?"

Goyle swallowed, frantically shaking his head. "N-no, no, of course not, Your Majesty," He bowed down. "We are trying our best to track down the princess. A-and I-I will soon find her." He added quickly. "B-but P-pettigrew…"

"I thought I already said—"

"The ball!" Goyle blurted out, "The ball tomorrow! We need beverages for that."

"What ball?" Riddle demanded, staring down at the man with irritation. "I do not recall any ball."

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but you scheduled a ball during the last event. It-it was going to mark the finality of the princess's marriage with Prince Lucius, and th-the entire royalty is invited." He finished, keeping his head lowered as he felt the king's temper rise.

There was silence for a few seconds, before, with a vicious cry, Riddle knocked over the array of fancy, unlit candelabras that had been resting beside them on a table. Goyle visibly flinched, sweat forming on his brow as he stood there, trembling. There was nothing more he would have liked than escaping from the king right then. However, to his immense surprise—and relief—when the man turned around to face him again, his black eyes held nothing more than their usual malevolence.

"Y-you could cancel the ball—" Goyle started to say, but the words dried up in his throat when the king whipped his head around to give him a cold look.

"Quiet! I do not need your input!" He hissed. "Besides, only scums like those Hufflepuffs cancel events! I cannot, under any circumstances, fall to their level, understand?" He continued, talking more to himself than the other person in the room. Goyle nodded dutifully nonetheless.

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty."

The king whirled around, black robes billowing, and walked back to his throne. "Seems like it's time that those airheaded Malfoys finally found out, isn't it, Goyle?" Riddle asked conversationally, his anger seemingly suppressed. The guard simply nodded, the king's calmness—for some reason or another—scaring him even more. "You can leave now. And send in Pettigrew; I wish to give our guest a warm welcome." He sneered.

Goyle didn't need to be told twice. He was out of the room in a flash.

* * *

Peter Pettigrew stood, twiddling his thumbs nervously as his watery blue eyes darted around. He sighed and looked up at the chandelier that hung from the high ceiling, waiting—as he had been told to do so—for the guards to return. It was a beautiful palace, he mused as he stood in the foyer. He wondered what it would be like to live in such a grand manner, be a royalty…

"Pettigrew!" A gruff voice jolted him out of his thoughts. Peter jumped, turning around to face one of the guards—Goyle was his name? "You can go inside. His Highness wishes to speak with you." He said. Peter noticed, with a feeling of dread, that the inhumanely buff-like man had sweat forming on his brow even as he talked, his face deathly white.

It was no mystery as to why that was.

Fear clogged up his throat, and with a jerk of his head, Peter made his way inside. He wiped his sweaty palms on his breeches to no avail, stepping into the colossal room with trembling hands. He did not have much time to appreciate the brilliant artistry of the room before his eyes met with the regal figure sitting on the throne.

The king's mouth lifted into a sneer at the sight of the podgy man. "Come here, Pettigrew." He ordered, waving the man towards him, his fingers unnaturally long and pale.

Peter stumbled forward in his haste, bowing down so low when he reached the king that if it weren't for his impeding abdomen, his nose would have probably touched the immaculate floors. "Long live the king!" He squeaked, slowly rising up again.

Riddle gave him an appraising stare, his thin lips puckering in disgust. The blond-haired man standing in front of him had a worn out sack slung over his shoulder, from where the sound of clinging bottles emerged every time he moved. It gave him immense satisfaction to notice the look of absolute fear on Peter Pettigrew's face. His clammy hands shook as he shifted from one foot to another, waiting for Riddle to say something. The king gave a contemptuous smile.

Clearly, his guards were blind; there _was_ someone in Gryffindor who valued life more than loyalty.

"I hear you have something for me, Pettigrew," the cold voice made the hairs on the back of Peter's neck stand on end. He nodded. "Go on then. I hope you will not…disappoint me, Peter." Riddle continued. As casual as the words had been, Peter recognized the pointed tone to his voice, and he gulped. It required no genius to figure out what exactly the man had in store for him if he were to be, indeed, _disappointed._

So Peter began immediately, pulling bottle after bottle out of his sack, and flaunting them as if his life—which in all reality—depended on it. They were the most exquisite brands of liquor, the best he had. But as he talked, as the words flowed out of his mouth in a terrified, alarming rate, Peter was not foolish enough to believe that the king was actually listening to him.

Riddle was staring down at him with something akin to amusement. Malicious amusement. He did not care about the wines or the whiskies. Peter was providing entertainment for him. He was just letting the power wash over him, reveling in the man's fear of death. Fear of him.

If it weren't for Peter's need for money, he would have never come here. He knew he could've gone to the Marauders, but he hated it—hated how worthless and pitiful it made him feel. No matter what they said, he _knew_ —and they did as well—that Peter was not like them.

But that did not mean that he resented them for it.

He envied them.

Envied how brave they were, how strong and courageous they seemed _all the time._ There was also admiration—they were fearless people, people who Peter aspired to become like. They never made him feel inferior. However, the thing he cherished most was the feeling that came from the one activity that the Marauders deigned him capable of performing.

Spying.

He loved spying for them; it made him look useful and valuable. Like he was their secret weapon. He was not just Peter Pettigrew, the beverage dealer. He was Peter Pettigrew, the almost fourth Marauder.

_Almost._

But it had been _ten days,_ and Peter had started to fear that he was losing that title. They hadn't asked for his help for a long time. And the last time they visited, it was with _her._ He was afraid that they had found a…replacement. They wouldn't need him anymore. _The princess_ could become the fourth Marauder. As for him, well…he would always remain the beverage dealer.

So, with an inner battle to prove himself _worthy_ —with or without the Marauders—Peter has set off to the palace on his own. He could do it. He could stand on his own. He didn't need to be someone's shadow—a shadow that could be casted away whenever that 'someone' felt like it. He was a person of his own. Maybe not as fearless or as chivalrous as the Marauders, but he still had _pride._ He had to prove himself.

That feeling had lasted all of five minutes after he entered the castle. His demeanor had shrunk and his face had blanched as soon as the guards had left to talk to the king.

Peter did not know why it was necessary to inform Riddle of his arrival; it hadn't been necessary before. However, in hindsight, he shouldn't have been surprised. The palace seemed eerier, gloomier than it ever had before. Every single soul was breathing in fear. And it wasn't as if Peter didn't know that reason for that. So it really shouldn't have shocked him at all when instead of leading him to the wine cellar as usual, Goyle had run off to ask the king for permission.

But it _had_ shocked him. Terrified him. He had never known King Tom Riddle to be reluctant in matters of spending gold when it came to his reputation or luxuries.

"Enough!" The king's bored voice jolted Peter out of his thoughts. The man almost jumped at the sound, foolishly worrying—for some reason or another—that the king had been able to read his thoughts. Peter had barely even realized that all this while, he had been jabbering away without realizing what he was saying. He could only hope that it wasn't too disastrous, and that Riddle had been impressed enough to let him live.

He waited with bated breath as the king stood up, walking away from the throne to stand a few feet away, his back facing Peter. He didn't even spare a glance at the blond man. Peter's hands were trembling again by the time the cold voice spoke up.

"Pettigrew, I have decided that—" Riddle stopped speaking abruptly, his words cut off as a loud exclamation of 'You!' followed by a clanging noise reached the room.

"What was that?" The king called out. However, only silence greeted his ears.

"Goyle!" His voice seemed amplified without him having to shout. The growing impatience in the tone only served to make Peter more nervous when no one replied yet again. His knuckles turning impossibly white as he drew the gold-hilted sword from its sheath, Riddle quickly made to walk out of the room. At the last moment, however, his gaze swiveled back to the beverage dealer who stood frozen near the throne.

"Do not even think about leaving this room, Pettigrew. I assume you like your head where it is."

The king was out of the room with a swish of his cape before Peter could so much as open his mouth.

* * *

A Few Minutes Earlier

A small, lithe figure, followed by a tall, lean one crept along the shadows of the palace entrance. The boisterous, confident voices of their counterparts, Sirius and Remus, interacting with the guards dulled in the background as the pair slipped inside the castle, seemingly unnoticed by anyone.

Lily's heart was pounding as she maneuvered through the familiar path, her feet graceful and silent on the floor as she tugged James along with her. She had to hand it to the Marauder; if his large, warm hand hadn't been encased in her own, Lily wouldn't have even been aware of his presence. His breathing was soft, controlled, and barely audible. The princess was eternally grateful for the calming effect that his years of experience provided. She was nervous enough as it was.

Lily took a deep breath and turned around the corner, more than aware of the fact that the throne room—where the king spent the majority of his time—was only a few chambers away. However, she had barely taken a step in that direction before, with a soft gasp, she retracted her steps, using her hand to push James away as she slammed her back into the wall, breathing harshly.

'What?' James mouthed, confused, after she had managed to reopen her eyes. Before she could answer him, however, someone else did.

"Who's there?" Goyle's gruff voice sounded before heavy footsteps echoed on the floor.

Lily's fingers tightened around James's in an almost painful grip. She bit her lip hard, feeling the metallic tang of blood on her tongue, as the gargantuan shadow of the guard came into view. Only seconds before the man also followed.

The scream of panic was barely contained in her throat as she watched, with a mixture of awe and anxiety, James smoothly pull his hand out from her death grip, and use the free arm to pin the beefy guard against the wall, tightly clamping the hand over his mouth to keep him from shouting. Her emerald eyes grew wide in apprehension as James raised his dagger to the man's triple-chinned neck.

"Now, you listen here, pudding head," James started, panting harshly from the effort of keeping the heavy man immobile. "You make _one_ sound, and you'll never make a sound ever again. Got it?"

Goyle whimpered in agreement even as he continued to struggle against the Marauder's hold. Lily kept her head slightly ducked down during the interaction, hoping against hope that the wig would be enough to keep her identity hidden. "Good." James nodded. "Now tell us where Riddle has kept Mary MacDonald imprisoned. And remember, if you dare call for help…" He trailed off, his meaning clear.

At the guard's hesitant compliance, James slowly dropped his hand from the man's mouth, watching impatiently as he wheezed—whether from lack of breath or anxiousness, he couldn't tell. "C'mon, now, we don't have much time!" he hissed urgently, his dagger still poised threateningly against the larger man's skin.

"I'm answering, I'm answering!" Goyle breathed quickly, his eyes large as he gazed down at the glinting blade. "She's locked up in the west dungeon. Her cell is situated all the way at the end of the hall."

"Locked up for execution." James muttered to himself. He looked up at Goyle again, strategically increasing the pressure of his dagger slightly. Goyle squeaked—Lily would have laughed if the situation was less tense—and looked down at James's narrowed gaze. "The keys." The Marauder demanded. "Where are the keys to her cell?"

He did not immediately answer, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow.

"Tell me, or…"

"I-I have them!" The response was sudden, and the guard's stubby fingers dug into his pocket, rummaging for a few seconds before they pulled out a large rusted ring, which contained a dozen or so keys. His fingers fumbled as he handed them over, the keys clattering together.

Lily quickly reached out, and with unnaturally steady fingers, stuffed them into her breeches.

However, it took her a few seconds to realize that the guard had let out a sudden gasp.

She slowly raised her head.

In her desperation to know the whereabouts of her friend, Lily had been boldly flaunting her face for far too long. He was bound to recognize her at some point. _Stupid stupid stupid._ She watched with trepidation as the man opened his mouth, and her feet were in action before she had even given her brain the signal to do so.

" _You!_ " The guard exclaimed loudly, giving only enough time for Lily to grasp the bronze vase that had been resting on a nearby table.

James, thinking that the man was simply trying to raise an alarm, swore under his breath; he knew that for all his taunts, he could never kill the guard unless he absolutely _had_ to. Sensing his partner's motive, James quickly ducked down, watching as Liz struck the burly man on the head with the vessel, instantly knocking him out. The princess looked down with a gaping mouth as Goyle dropped to the floor with a heavy thud, the vase slipping out of her hand to clatter noisily against the floor.

"Is he…he…?" She stammered, unable to look away from the prostrate figure.

"No, no," James quickly assured her. "He's just unconscious. We have to get out of—"

"What was that?" A voice called out.

Lily's blood ran cold at the sound—a sound which she had been fortunate enough to not have to hear for ten days. A sound that had haunted her days and nights since she was merely a kid. "Goyle!" He yelled again.

She couldn't move. She could _not_ move.

Hatred like she'd never known was boiling inside her. He was right there, the man who had ruined her life. He was the one who had killed her father, the one who was about to hang her friend, and the one who cared about no one but himself. Her hands had balled into fists, fingernails digging into soft flesh to leave crescent moons of rage.

A forceful tug on her hand jolted the princess out of her trance and she stumbled clumsily, looking up to meet panicked hazel eyes.

"Come _on_ , Liz, what're you _doing_?" James hissed, his feet already in action, dragging her behind him. "Run!" he implored again, giving another sharp pull on her hand.

Finally aware of the fact that risking her life meant risking James's—as well as Sirius's and Remus's—Lily, with a sudden burst of energy, took the lead and made her way down the long corridor, towards where she knew the dungeons were. They had just swiveled around the corner, when, merely a few seconds later, the unmistakable sound of the swish of a cloak and angry footsteps resounded from where they had stood.

* * *

"What is going on—" The king stopped short, staring down at the large, unconscious figure on the floor in shock. "Goyle!" he called, prodding the man with his foot, only to have the body loll around helplessly. He sneered in disgust, cold eyes roving the scene until they landed on the fallen vase. Riddle stared at it for a few seconds before, with a furious cry, kicked the alloy, watching as it skidded across the floor and into the wall.

The clanging noise reverberated throughout the corridor.

"Avery! Mulciber!" The king yelled, striding angrily towards the empty foyer, snapping his head from side to side in search of his guards. "You mongrels! Where is everyone!?" He snarled impatiently. The raging rant was halted, however, when the sound of voices from the entrance drifted to the king's ears. His sword was drawn and he was marching outside barely a second later.

As he reached the large double doors of the palace, Riddle could make out the cluster of guards that stood, chatting and laughing with people he couldn't see. _Commoners_ , the king thought in distaste. If it weren't for the urgent circumstances, he would've made sure that every single one of those useless mutts for guards got what they deserved. As it was, the circumstances _were_ dire, and he had other matters to take care of.

Fortunately, the king did not have to waste any more energy as one of the men—Arcturus Avery—spotted him standing just inside the doors, sword in hand. It seemed as though all the color had drained from Avery's face in a split second.

"Your Highness!" He said, quickly bowing down. His companions, hearing the greeting, pivoted on their heels to come face to face with the emperor as well. As a unit, all the guards bowed down once more, the fear and shock evident on their faces. "You could've just called for us, Your Majesty. Th-there was no need for you to—"

"Quiet, Avery!" Riddle snarled. For a second, his black eyes flashed to the duo of fat men—the commoners—who looked upon the scene with their mouths agape, but he controlled the urge of slitting their throats, and ushered the guards inside the castle. "Mulciber! Make sure all the exits are closed and guarded. Avery, I do not care how you do it, but revive Goyle. Now!"

As the palace doors were finally closed in a flurry of movements, the two men in disguise caught the king's final words. "There are intruders in the palace. And I have a good idea of where they might be…"

"Shit." Sirius muttered, running a hand through his wig as he turned to look at Remus.

"Shit, indeed."

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way, Elisa?" James asked, following the petite figure before him through corridors and halls and bloody _labyrinths_ it seemed.

"Positive." Panted Lily.

"Are you _sure_ we're not lost?" He tried again.

" _Yes_ , James, I'm _sure_!"

"Okay, okay!" The Marauder reassured. "Keep your voice down, or we'll get caught. I'm sure Riddle has alerted the guards already."

"Right. Sorry."

The pair continued in silence for a few moments after that, Lily's breathing ragged and harsh as she ran, while James's remained healthily exerted. After what seemed like ages, they finally turned into an endless, dark hall which housed damp, dirty cells on both sides. Strangely enough—for it was King Tom Riddle's reign—all the cells leading to the last one were devoid of even a single soul. James and Lily would've stopped to ponder the peculiarity of the situation, and how things looked a bit too convenient, if it weren't for their urgent need to just _get out of there._

Lily's heart pounded as she neared her destination, her euphoria at the thought of seeing her friend mixing with the sudden—or not so sudden—fear of what would happen in the aftermath. Unknowingly, her feet slowed down, and it wasn't until she saw hazel eyes looking down at her that she realized that she had halted completely.

"What's wrong?" James asked, his words quick but confused. "We're almost here. Let's go."

Lily blinked up at him. _He was really good-looking,_ strangely enough, the princess found herself thinking. And then, almost immediately after that—

_I don't want to lie anymore._

She really, _really_ , didn't want to lie to James Potter anymore.

She almost felt like she couldn't.

And she would've told him, too—was in fact, almost about to—before she remembered. Mary. What if—what if in the midst of their conversation or James's sudden—inevitable—anger, the guards arrived? What if she was unable to save Mary? What if she was unable to save _James_? They would all be killed. Because of her. Because of her selfishness.

No. No, no, no.

"I think you should wait here," she finally said, her voice sounding…odd. James frowned. "Keep an eye out. I'll go and get Mary."

"But—"

"We do not have much time, James." She cut him off, already moving around him to walk ahead. " _Please_."

"Okay," he sighed. "Okay, be quick."

"I will."

James watched her walk away for a few seconds before, with a deep breath, he turned around and retraced his steps, waiting near one of the damp cells they had passed, his chest feeling heavy. He really hoped Liz would hurry up because something just _didn't feel right._

* * *

"Mary?" Lily whispered urgently.

The head of brown, unkempt curls that had been resting atop folded arms lifted up slowly. Dry, tear-stained cheeks, bloodshot eyes, and a dirt-smudged face stared back at the princess. She watched as Mary confusedly blinked a few times, almost numbly, before her brown eyes widened. First in recognition, and then in fear.

Mary immediately burst into tears, curling up into a ball.

"Mary!" Lily choked out, feeling as if someone had slapped her. Was she…was she actually _scared_ of her? "Mary, _please_ , what's wrong? It's me; Lily." She whispered, green eyes instinctively darting for a second to make sure James couldn't hear. She looked back at her friend. "I'm here to save you. Come on."

But Mary only shook her head vigorously.

"Mary, please, we don't have much time! The guards will be here any second. We'll all be killed." She pleaded desperately, pulling out the bunch of keys from her breeches and immediately setting to work.

This, however, only seemed to make the girl cry harder. Lily paused for a moment, her heart clenching as she stared at her friend, wanting nothing more than to reach out and wrap her arms around Mary.

"You-you shouldn't have come here, L-Lily." Mary finally blubbered, though the words were such a far cry from what the princess had expected, it was almost comical. "It's a t-trap. Y-y-you're going to g-get ca-cap-tured. The king will make you sign the contract again."

"I don't care." Lily said firmly, not a hint of indecision in her voice. She went back to work; trying out the fourth key, only to have it uselessly move around once more. "I just need to get you out of here, Mary. Uncle won't kill me; I know he won't. But we both know that it's not the same for you, and I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself for my sake."

"But Lily—"

"Liz."

"I…w-what?" Mary hiccupped, confusion seeping into her tone. "Wh-who's Liz?"

Lily bit her lip instead of answering, her fingers fumbling for the seventh key. At length, she sighed. "I am Liz." She answered, lowering her voice to a bare whisper—just to be safe. "I-it's the name I've taken outside the palace. It comes from my mother's name—Elisa."

Mary nodded, her stream of tears considerably slowed down. Her hands remained clasped—shaking—in front of her when, _finally_ , on the eighth try, there was a telltale _click_. With an anticipatory breath, Lily shoved the rusted bars, which easily swung open with a creak.

Barely a second later, the two women found themselves clutching each other tightly, their tears and laughter mixing together with fear and gratitude. However, the princess abruptly pulled back to look at her friend seriously.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Lily quickly wiped at her eyes. "We only managed to knock out Goyle. I'm sure he's raised an alarm by now."

"We?" Mary inquired, brushing away her own tears. "What do you mean 'we'? Who else is here, Lily?"

A pause. And then, "James Potter."

"Who?"

"James Potter."

"No, I heard you. Who is James Potter?"

"Well, it's not just him. The others are here as well, but it's just me and James in the palace." Lily divulged. At Mary's still blank stare, she finally elaborated. "The Marauders, Mary. I'm here with the Marauders. I've been staying with them for the past ten days, and they're all really great people—"

"Oh, god." The brunette whispered.

"I know, I know," Lily clutched Mary's shoulders, desperately trying to get her friend to understand. "I know it sounds bad, and it's dangerous, but don't worry, I'll do anything to get you all out of here."

"That's what I'm worried about!" The brown eyes had started gleaming with unshed tears again.

" _Please_ , Mary," Lily all but begged. "Please, we _don't_ have time for this. We have to go! Can you please just promise me one thing?"

The shorter girl covered her face with both hands as she cried, but nodded nonetheless.

"I need you to call me Liz when we get out of here, okay? You _have_ to remember." Lily said, the sternness in her voice successfully masking her own tears. "And," she added as an afterthought, "And if we—if _I_ don't make it out of here—no, _listen._ To me—if I _don't_ , can you just tell James, and the other Marauders—Remus and Sirius—that…that I'm sorry? And that I…I love them. All of them. Please, Mary? Promise me."

She promised.

* * *

"James!"

The sound of her voice sent a surge of relief through him, and the Marauder turned around, allowing himself a second's peace as he caught sight of her green eyes. A short, timid brunette walked behind her, looking the worse for wear. When Mary MacDonald's brown eyes caught his, she gave him an exhausted, but grateful smile.

James politely returned it.

"Sorry it took us so long," Lily said, not meeting his eyes. "The keys…there were too many."

"That's okay," James replied, though he _had_ been wondering what the delay was about. _And why was Liz behaving so strangely?_ "It doesn't matter. I'm just surprised that no one has tried to arrest us yet. But who's complaining?" He smirked humorlessly.

"Yeah."

_Why were things so awkward suddenly?_

There was more than one person present whose mind was occupied with the question.

"Right. Let's get out of here, then." James said, and the others nodded. However, they had just managed to leave the dungeons and round the corner when they realized that they had company.

And not a very welcome one.

"Going somewhere?" Arcturus Avery sneered. The presence of the two sadistic-looking men who stood behind him also became a little too difficult for the trio to ignore.

* * *

Not Too Long Ago

"Have all the exits been guarded?" The cold voice demanded of his guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Replied one of his faithfuls, Mulciber.

"What happened to Goyle?"

"He's coming to, Your Highness," Answered Avery. He, along with three other guards, was kneeling beside the slightly stirring form of Goyle. The large man's eyes opened with a groan, which was immediately followed by a wince as he clutched his head in pain.

"Up, Goyle!" Riddle ordered.

The surrounding guards immediately scampered away as Goyle clumsily stumbled to his feet, swaying slightly on the spot as he tried to regain his senses. However, he had barely experienced five seconds of rest before he found himself staring at black, pit-less eyes. They reminded him of abyss. "Y-your Highness." He dutifully bowed down.

"What happened?"

"Th-they knocked me out," Goyle answered, shaking from head to foot. "They w-wanted to know wh-where M-m-mary Macdonald—tha-that maid—was k-kept." At this point, the man dropped to his knees, clasping his hands in front of him as he begged. "H-he threatened to k-kill me! I h-had no choice, Your Majesty! Please have mercy! I—"

"Who is this 'he' you speak of?" The king's voice was barely a decimal louder, but it effortlessly carried over the guard's wails. "Who were these people?" He hissed furiously. Riddle had been so _sure_ …that silly wretch _had_ to come.

"I-I don't know the man. There was one—he was tall, an-and b-br-brown hair…old cl-clothes." Here, the man paused, steeling himself for divulging the next part. "She was al-also there. Th-the princess. I did-didn't recognize her at f-first—she wa-was wearing a wig—b-but I ca-can swear it wa-was her. Sh-she was the one wh-who knocked me out." He finished, immediately dissolving into another loud bout of sobs.

There was silence for a few moments after this information was revealed. The king's face was blank and unresponsive. After what seemed like an eternity, in a calm, unbothered voice, he asked, "And what exactly did you do, Goyle?"

"I…" The guard lifted his eyes in surprise, having expected the king to have killed him by then. There was a definite lift in his spirits when he noticed Riddle's calm demeanor. "I did-didn't have a choice," he repeated, "I t-told them that she was loh-locked up in the dungeons. Bu-but then he asked for th-the keys."

"Which you gave them?"

"Yes," He cowered in fear again. "They took it, and wh-when I recognized the pr-princess, she hit me w-with the vase."

King Tom Riddle had turned his back on the guard before the man was even done speaking, seemingly uninterested in whatever more he had to say—or grovel. He addressed the light-haired guard. "Avery, make sure our guests get a warm welcome, would you? Take two others with you to the passageway leading to the dungeons."

"We could just arrest them in the dungeons, Your Majesty."

"You will do as I say." The king sneered. "Let them revel in their victory for a few seconds—once their guard is down, I hope you can handle the rest. _Right_ , Avery?" He asked. The guard immediately nodded his head. "Good. And make sure all of them are brought back to me in one piece. No one dies—except maybe the servant girl. I do not care what you do with her."

The surrounding men snickered appreciatively.

"Greyback, McNair, let's go." Avery said, and the three men quickly left the room, towards the dungeons.

"Now," Riddle speculated, idly running his forefinger on the blade of his sword as he turned around to look at the still kneeling guard. "You have been of great use to me, Goyle." The king said, and Goyle felt himself sag in relief. "However," Riddle walked towards the man with slow deliberate steps, looking mockingly apologetic. "However," he repeated, "you have…made some mistakes. Grave mistakes. And I am afraid, that those mistakes cannot be overlooked. They cannot be forgiven."

Goyle's beady eyes widened at the words. "No!" He immediately cried, "No, Your Majesty! Please have mercy!"

"You should be _proud_ ," The king spoke over him, looking darkly amused, "your death will help us all—it will serve as an example, Goyle. No one will dare to make the same mistakes again. They will understand that King Tom Riddle does not offer second chances."

"No, _please_ —"

The words were cut off. The throat was slit. The blade dripped with blood.

The empty eyes stared with a silent scream of pain.

And in the end of the room, a head of blond hair peeked around the corner, blue eyes enlarging at the sight before him. With a frightened, indecipherable gasp, Peter Pettigrew scampered back into the throne room, swallowing down the bile that had risen up in his throat.

_King Tom Riddle did not offer second chances._

* * *

**To be continued…**


	16. Conflagration

**Deception and Disguise**

**Conflagration**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"Going somewhere?" Arcturus Avery sneered. The presence of the two sadistic-looking men who stood behind him also became a little too difficult for the trio to ignore.

Lily's faced immediately lost all its color, her green eyes widening from under the dark fringe of her wig. Mary, on the other hand, squeezed the princess's hand tightly, the fear for her friend, her family, and herself burying her with its weight. Her eyes glanced towards the Marauder beside her, who seemed—apart from his tense back—calm and collected in the situation.

"Hey, you," MacNair growled, his lips pulling back to reveal yellow teeth as he grinned maliciously. His cold eyes were directed at James. "What's your name?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Was the evasive reply.

"Think you're very smart, don't you?" Greyback asked, narrowing his eyes as he held back MacNair from lunging at the man.

"Not really," James shot back. "I know I am."

"Enough!" Avery said loudly, sensing where the situation was headed. "He is just trying to rile you up. No need to talk anymore. We have our orders, and the king wants them alive. You three—no funny business." He gestured for the two other guards to bring their captives.

Struggling was pointless; neither Lily, nor Mary were physically strong enough to get rid of the steely grip that the guards had on them. Surprisingly enough, James did not see point in trying to resist, maintaining his cool demeanor even as Avery shoved him along.

The princess kept her eyes down, praying with all her heart for some miracle—for _their_ safety. Would Riddle reveal her identity? Surely he would. Would she at least get to apologize? Would she even get to _see_ him again? Would he be alive for her to be able to?

As if unable to handle the dread of the thought, her emerald orbs lifted—for a second, or maybe just a millisecond—to catch his eyes staring back at her. He blinked.

And then the commotion started.

Whirling on her feet, Lily took hold of Greyback's hand, biting down on it so hard that the man lost his grip on the sword. A shout of agony escaped his lips and he cursed, shoving away the girl to clutch at his hand in pain. As MacNair took a step forward to help his comrade, Mary, seizing the opportunity, tripped the man over her foot, sending him sprawling across the marble floor.

A second after he saw the flash of emerald meet his eyes, James's fingers were wrapped around the cool handle of his dagger. He was quick on his feet, meeting each of Avery's hits and blows with one of his own. From his peripheral vision, he saw Liz bite Greyback, heard the shout that pierced the air, and moved aside just in time as MacNair tripped and fell to the floor.

He was awarded a moment's distraction from his opponent when Avery's eyes flickered to the groaning man on the ground as well.

James kicked the sword out of Avery's hand, and using the guard's surprise as leverage, struck a blow to his shin. He waited for the thud signaling Avery's fall before turning on his feet and running towards Greyback.

He didn't really have to, however, because—James stopped short—Liz had the blade pointed at the guard, her hand steady in its purpose. "Let us go," she said. Ordered. The weapon did not look good in her hand, did not suit her. But it gave her a fire, a confidence which James admired, and maybe feared as well. There were blemishes on her clothes from the struggle, a bleeding lip which was the courtesy of Greyback, but she still stood strong and firm. "I don't want to hurt anyone." She added.

"It's the king's orders. I'm afraid I do not have a choice, Your h—"

It seemed like a surreal, almost dreamlike—or a nightmarish—moment as the blade ripped through the air. Mary screamed—or maybe didn't. James gasped—or maybe not. But someone did scream. Someone _did_ gasp. With an anguished shout that made the hair on James's skin crawl, Greyback stumbled to the floor, his hand grabbing his leg, where a deep red gash ran diagonally. He scrambled desperately as blood continued to seep out, howling in pain.

The princess stood frozen on her spot, letting the blood-stained sword clatter noisily to the floor in her shock. She stared at the man at her feet, feeling her fingers shake even as her body grew numb. She had attacked someone, slashed him with a sword. He could have died.

But… _she didn't have a choice_ , Lily argued with herself, holding back tears that were burning behind her pupils.

She _didn't_. She knew what Greyback was about to say—what that _one_ , single word, that one address could reveal. It was a decision made in a split second, and Lily was not sure whether her decision would have changed if she had an hour to think about it—and _god_ , that scared her because she was not a murderer, she _wasn't_.

"Lily," Mary's soft voice whispered into her ear, "Lily, come on, we have to go."

The princess turned her head to look at her friend, who herself had tears in her eyes. But there was also a desperate sort of look on her face; a look that brought Lily back to her senses. Mary was right—they didn't have time. They had to go. She wiped the blood off her lips with the back of her hand, and gave a jerky nod of her head.

"Let's go." James said, slipping his hand into hers. Lily looked up at him, and before she knew it, they were tearing through the corridors, breathing hard. She felt like she had a metal ball lodged in her throat, and it _hurt_ , it hurt like hell. She could hear Avery and MacNair chasing after them, knew she had to run faster, but she couldn't… _couldn't_ because she had almost killed a man.

"Stop it, Liz!" James's harsh voice penetrated her haze. He wasn't looking at her, instead turning his head around to look at the guards. They were gaining on them. "You had no choice; he wouldn't have let us pass. Besides, you only attacked his leg—good thinking." He flashed her a smile—which Lily returned tentatively—before suddenly shoving her into Mary, who quickly steadied her.

"What—" Lily began, fear growing in her heart as she saw James turn around to face the two men, dagger in hand.

"Go, Liz, I'll catch up… _please_."

"James, _no_ —"

"Mary, take her. _Now_." He shouted, moments before he was engaged in a fight with Avery and MacNair. Lily felt herself being dragged away, not being able to put up much of a fight as Mary shoved and pushed her out of view with a surprising amount of strength.

"Lily, listen to me—no, _stop_ fighting—he knows what he's doing. He'll be safe; he has experience, but you don't. Just…come with me—"

"I am _not_ leaving without him."

"No you are not." A cold voice cut through the air, making shivers run down Lily's spine. She closed her eyes, not willing to face the nightmare that haunted her day and night. But it was useless—she knew it was. Tom Riddle was a conflagration that was meant to burn and torture people. There was no escaping it. "You are _not_ leaving, dear niece," he sneered. "Not until you are married, at least. Not until I have settled all my accounts."

"You are a _foul_ man, you bastard!" She swore, fighting off Mary's grip and stalking towards him in a sudden rage of anger that she did not know existed. The king's eyes—though only momentarily—widened in surprise, before a malicious grin spread across his lips.

"A few days of air has really turned you into a filthy rat," he spat, "Such a mouth you've got on you. Charles would be _so_ proud—"

"Enough!" Lily yelled. "Do not utter another word about my father. I've had enough!"

"No one dares to talk to me like that!" Riddle roared, pulling his sword out of its sheath.

"No—" Mary rushed forward, her brown eyes wide. The king, in his anger, simply backhanded the girl, hitting her hard enough to send her crashing into a pillar, where she hit her head and slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Mary!" Lily shouted, taking a step forward to help the girl. A whimper of pain escaped her lips, however, when she was yanked back by Riddle, who brutally fisted his hand into her wig and tossed it away. It was only a split second later that Lily's hand was pulled back into a painful angle, and she could feel the cool metal of the blade against her cheek. "Let me go!" She wriggled desperately in the man's grasp.

"What is the matter, _princess_?" The horrid, putrid breath made her nauseous. "Are you not _proud_ of your identity? Why the sudden need for disguise?" Lily felt the blade dig deeper into her cheek, felt it tear open the skin there, and also felt the blood trickle down her cheek, into her mouth. She spat in disgust.

"Now, now, are those the proper etiquettes?" Riddle taunted mockingly, "I am sure your _lovely_ mother would disapprove—"

Lily felt the spark of her previous anger returning in full force, and using that to her benefit, shoved the man's hand away from her face, whirling out of his grip. The king, in his scramble to get hold of the girl, miscalculated, and the hand that held the sword cut through the air, its target undecided.

A sharp gasp echoed in the room, and the blade returned, maculated in blood.

Lily clutched the left side of her abdomen, feeling the warm blood on her fingers as the red hue stained her shirt. She staggered, stumbled, but did not fall to the ground. When she looked up, nothing could have surprised her more than what she saw—King Tom Riddle looked scared, _afraid_ , shocked, and wary as he stared back at her.

However, his featured relaxed a little as he realized that she was still standing—still breathing. "You silly wretch!" he said scornfully, "Look what you made me do!"

"You have done much, _much_ worse," The princess shot back. Her voice was becoming weaker, breathier. The pain seemed unbearable. "This should be…should be nothing to you. I—I'm surprised you haven't killed me yet." She exhaled a breath, now using both hands to clutch her side.

"Do not be under the delusion that I care for you."

"Ha!" she couldn't help but scoff. " _Trust_ me, I never was. M—merely curious." Lily's chest heaved with the effort of standing still, her eyes growing heavier.

"You are about to die." Riddle informed, and the previous look of fear was back in his eyes.

"Yes." She did not argue.

"You cannot die. Not yet," he said, taking a few steps forward.

"Get away from her!" A voice shouted, making the king whip his head around. And as he did so, the hilt of a sword painfully met his skull, immediately rendering him unconscious. James threw the sword to the ground, panting, as he stared down at the ruthless, unmoving man. The Marauder's clothes were worse for wear, bruises covered his hands, and he had managed to acquire a small scar above his right eyebrow.

But he was safe, _alive_ —and that was all that mattered.

"James." Lily choked out, managing a watery-smile even as her insides screamed in agony.

His head immediately snapped up, and the hazel orbs smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling. His grin softened a little, he stepped forward, and Lily realized that she was crying when the cut on her cheek stung from the saltiness of her tears. It was only a second—or maybe a year—later that she found herself engulfed in his arms. It felt warm. Safe. It felt like…home.

She closed her eyes and cried into his shoulder, her body wracking with sobs. She heard his soothing words and held onto them like a lifeline. And then suddenly…his palm pressed into her side.

Lily could not stop the cry that left her mouth.

"Liz, what—?" James's voice trailed off, and he gently pulled back from the embrace, staring, wide-eyed, at his palm, which was covered in blood. Her blood. "You-you're bleeding," his voice was just barely more than a whisper. "Badly."

"Yeah," she snorted, having no idea where that sense of humor was coming from. "You can say I've…I've been better."

He ignored her. "Liz, we need to get you out of here. Wait." He said, rushing away. Lily sagged against the wall for support, watching as James slowly brought Mary into consciousness, shaking and prodding her. She could not believe how the day had turned out—how bloody lucky they were to have made it alive. How bloody lucky _she_ was to have encountered possibly everyone in the castle and not have her identity revealed.

It was only when her eyelids fluttered open that she realized they were closed in the first place. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw her uncle stirring slightly on the floor. "James," she whispered, alarmed.

He was immediately at her side, a now fully-conscious Mary beside him. "What is it?" he asked.

"H-he's coming to." She replied. "We need…need to go."

"The other guards must be guarding the exits. We'll never make it out alive from there." Mary said fretfully. James pulled at his wig in frustration, pacing as he thought. His eyes flickered back to the king every now and then, making sure he was still unconscious, before he turned to look at the two women hopelessly.

"Do you know _any_ place in this palace which might not be guarded at the moment?"

Mary's eyes immediately snapped to Lily's, bright with realization. The princess bit her lip, and finding no other alternative, nodded her head. "There is one." Mary answered. "It's the…um, it's the princess's balcony. I do not think that will be guarded."

"Where is the princess?" James asked, a familiar feeling of curiosity and…something else…erupting inside him. "Will she be a problem to us as well?"

"No, no," Mary quickly replied. "She—she's not here right now. Gone to visit the—the, uh, Hufflepuff kingdom."

"Okay. Good." He nodded briskly, noticing Liz's deteriorating condition. "We don't have time to waste. Come on."

He wrapped an arm around Lily's waist, making sure to avoid her injured spot. "It's okay. I've got you." He assured her as she all but dropped on him. Mary slung Lily's other arm over her shoulder, not even having enough courage to look at the girl. Lily's eyes were half hooded, her shirt soaked with blood, and her breathing shallow. In fact, James was almost sure that she could barely sense anything. And _god_ , that scared the living hell out of him.

It cost them a lot of sweat, blood, and fear, but the trio somehow— _finally_ —managed to make their way into the princess's room. At reaching the chamber, James immediately shut the door behind them, settling Lily down on the bed.

"Listen to me, Liz," He held her face between his hands, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I'll arrange for some ropes, okay? Are you listening to me? Good—okay, so you have to keep your eyes open at all costs. Keep. Your. Eyes. Open. Everything's going to be alright. Nothing's going to happen to you." He repeated, trying to convince himself as much as her.

"Liar," Lily accused, giving a breathy laugh.

He did not say anything, but simply placed a kiss on her temple.

As James left her sight, Lily felt the exhaustion suddenly wash over her. She was tired, _so_ tired. And it would be nice to just close her eyes and forget everything…

"Liz!" Mary's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. The brunette was staring at her worriedly, a bundle of clothes in her hand. "Please keep your eyes open. Here, I got you these—uh, this might…hurt a little. Sorry." She apologized, and before Lily could even say anything, she tied the cloth around her hip, making sure to knot it very tightly. Lily hissed as the cotton pressed into her injury.

"It'll stop the blood loss," Mary explained. She got up and went to the balcony, where the Marauder stood, signaling to someone in the distance. Mary could make out two fat men just outside the entrance of the palace, hidden from the view of the guards. She saw them nod in understanding and hurry away.

"The other Marauders?" she asked.

"That's them." James confirmed.

"How did you get them to come here?" She asked.

Mary was surprised to find the ghost of a smile on his face when he answered. "We all have this…intuition. We can tell when something's wrong with the other. I was looking for them, they were looking for me, so it was really not that hard."

Mary nodded at that, even though she was not really sure if she completely understood the logic. "Thank you," she said instead. "For doing this. Y'know, for L-liz." She caught herself in time. James simply looked down, did not answer, but Mary understood.

"James!" Lily's voice called from inside, and the two entered the room to hear bangs on the door.

"Oh shit," James cursed under his breath, jogging over to where Mary was supporting Lily up from the bed. "We need to get out of here." They quickly made their way to the balcony, where—thankfully—they spotted Sirius and Remus entering the garden with ropes. The group made quick work of the equipment, trying the two ropes that were brought securely to the railings. It was when they were about to climb down that the bedroom door was shoved open.

"Go!" James shouted at the two women. They looked ready to argue, but after receiving the pleading stare from him, they had no choice but to comply. Lily looked at him for a second longer, trying, _trying_ , but failing to get the words out of her mouth, before she started to descend, thinking that the gash on her abdomen could not possibly get any more torturous.

"No! Stop them!" The king shouted, Avery and MacNair on his heels. Both the guards had bruises all over their faces, and MacNair also had a welt over his left eye, where James had struck him with a candle holder. As soon the guards advanced, James took hold of the rope vacated by Mary with one hand, and with the other, he slashed the fiber using his dagger.

There was a quick zap in the air as James fell. He didn't even think—he didn't have to think. They were there. They always were. And true to what he thought, his fall was stopped by a net of arms. Arms of his friends. His brothers.

"What are you waiting for? Jump after them!" Riddle ordered his guards from above, watching with boiling anger as she disappeared from under his nose…yet again. When no response was met with his order, he turned to see the worthless guards looking at each other with fearful expressions.

"I should have known better than to hire useless pieces of meat like you," he spat. "Those Marauders would have done a better job than you. It's no use following them now either—" He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. After a deliberate pause, he turned around and stared at the— _his—_ kingdom contemplatively. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his lips as realization hit him.

"The princess doesn't know what a mistake she has made by joining with the Marauders."

* * *

"M-mary," Lily panted, holding her friend's hand. They were now at the crowded streets of Gryffindor, where they received more than a few strange looks. When Mary turned around to look at Lily with an inquisitive expression, the princess, with shaky fingers, pointed somewhere to the left.

As the entire group turned to look at where Lily was pointing, there was a cry of "Mary!" before a small figure barreled straight into the brunette.

"Rose!" Mary exclaimed, hugging her sister tightly to her chest. The little girl wept loudly, mumbling incomprehensible words that were coated with fear and worry. "Hush, it's okay, Rosie," Mary cooed, patting her back comfortingly. "I'm here. Nothing will happen to you, Mamma, or Mark." But even as she said so, Mary knew her words were empty, and there was nothing she could do to guarantee her family's safety.

Mary jolted a little when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find Lily looking down at her with a weak smile. "Take this, Mary." She said, opening her fisted palm to reveal a band of gold with emerald stones. It was the Queen's. "Take this. I know it's not much, but…but you can s-sell it and use the…use the money to start some small shop…" she trailed off, slumping heavily onto Sirius, who was standing beside her.

"No," Mary shook her head, unable to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes. "No, Li—no, I can't take that. It's your—"

"It's a stolen ring!" Lily said loudly, her own tears pooling in her eyes. " _Please_ , Mary, just…just take it. I can't, I can't—" her words were cut off when Mary stepped forward and pulled her in for a hug. Lily held her tightly, knowing that it was probably the last time she'd be doing so. "Okay," She stepped away, trying to gather her wits. "Now go. Riddle could…could send his guards any m-minute."

"But what about—?"

"Just go, Mary!" Lily cried, pushing the ring into her palm. The cloth around her hip had also turned red, and her face was ashen-white. James watched warily as she swayed, refusing to give in. The wound needed to be taken care of as soon as possible. Or she would…

"Liz—"

"Goodbye, Mary," The princess wiped her cheek, unable to hear James's voice over her own. "Take care. And…and I'll miss you." She ruffled Rose's hair, still leaning against Sirius, who looked at her worriedly.

"L-liz, you really need to go. That wound—"

"I'm fine," Lily insisted, even though her eyelids had all but closed. "Just a…a little…dizzy. You go."

Mary bit her lip and nodded—if not for herself, then for Lily—and with a final wave, she turned around and left, Rose's hand clasped in her own. She took a deep breath, willed herself to not look back, and walked towards a new life, determined to remember the kindest person she'd ever known for all of eternity.

Lily watched her best friend—her sister—walk out of her life, and felt a gut-wrenching pain in her heart. She turned her face and cried into Sirius's shoulder. And even though each heave hurt like a new knife wound, she couldn't stop her sobs.

She could have later sworn that she felt Remus—or perhaps it was James—rub soothing circles on her back as she cried, but at that moment, all she felt was numbness. Darkness. And before she knew it, she was falling, falling, and then everything was silent.

* * *

"Ah, look, she resurfaces…"

Lily blinked open her eyes, trying to adjust her pupils to the dim light. The first thought that registered in her mind was that she wasn't dead. She was very much alive. The next second was when the whirlwind of memories hit her—Mary was gone, Riddle was still at their tail, she was with the Marauders, and her identity was yet to be revealed.

Lily groaned, pressing her fingertips to her head as she sat up.

Or tried to sit up, at least.

"Oh god! That hurts!" she exclaimed as sudden pain shot through her abdomen. She fell back on what she realized was a mattress, and her hand reached up to the gash on her side, only to find it was neatly bandaged. "What—?" she mumbled, her eyes finally shifting to the only figure in the room.

James was standing beside her four-poster bed, arms folded across his chest as he stared down at her amusedly. "Are you done yet?" he asked.

"Did you do this?" Lily asked, pointing at her bandage and ignoring his question.

"I may have." He quipped, smirking. Lily looked away, feeling uncomfortable and awkward all of a sudden. It was only when she felt James at her side did she lift her eyes again. "Here. I'll help you sit up," he said kindly, pulling up her pillow so that her back was supported against it.

"Where are Sirius and Remus?" Lily asked.

"Downstairs," he replied, sitting down beside her on the bed. "They were very worried about you—you lost a lot of blood. I should probably tell them that you're awake." He said, handing her a glass of water, but making no move to go and make good on it. "And…I was worried about you, too."

The glass paused at her lips, and her green eyes snapped up to look at him in shock. "What?"" she croaked, her heart beating fast enough to jump out of her throat.

James ran a hand through his hair, and if her eyes were not deceiving her, Lily was positive that there was a red tinge to his cheeks. "I think you know what I meant." He said sincerely, gathering enough courage to look at her. Now it became hard for _her_ to stare at _him_.

"I—"

"No, let me finish. Please." He insisted, and Lily nodded. "I'm so, _so_ sorry for behaving the way I did for the first few days. I don't know _what_ , or _why_ , and I know it's no use apologizing now, but I'm doing it anyway. You did not deserve it, Liz. You did not deserve all that suspicion. You are so, _so_ far from all that—and _god_ , I don't even know what I'm saying anymore," he chuckled nervously, his hand lifting up to brush her cheek.

Lily swallowed, feeling so horrible and guilty that she wasn't even aware that it was _possible_ to feel this way. She had no right—no fucking _right_. She did not deserve this man, who was so brilliant and sincere, and she could not even tell him what her bloody _name_ was. Oh god, what was she doing?

"You really scared me, you know," James continued, bringing her out of her trance. "I thought—I thought I'd lost you." He confessed, his mouth turning down at the corners. Lily bit her lip and looked away, because it was too much _, too-bloody-much_. Her heart beat quickened when she felt the glass being pulled out of her hand, and felt his fingertip hook under her chin, forcing her eyes up to meet his.

There were specks of purple mixed in the whirlpool of brown and green that she hadn't noticed before.

"Liz, I lov—"

"Stop!" Lily jerked away, shaking her head rapidly. "Please, _please_ just—stop. You can't just do that, James! It's not—please don't do this." She begged him.

"What?" His voice sounded broken. "I thought—Liz, what's wrong?"

"What's _wrong_!?" Her voice was incredulous, and she could not even be bothered to control it. "What's wrong is _everything_! I am not right for you, James Potter! I am not good enough!"

"What are you talking about?" he grabbed her shoulders, and Lily was almost sure that if it wasn't for her injury, he would've shaken her. " _You_ are not good enough for me? God, Liz, do you have any _idea_ —you almost died for your friend! You gained Sirius's trust, you helped Remus come out of his shell, you made— _make_ —me a better person!"

"Please," she whispered, dropping her head into her hands, warm tears trickling down her face. "Please don't say that. _Please_ , James—"

"Look at me." James's voice was firm, unarguable, and Lily slowly looked up at him. He shifted closer, and she stopped breathing. _Stop, stop, stop_. Why was he doing this!? James leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "It's okay," his breath tickled her lips, and Lily just wanted to forget, forget, and close that gap between them, but she _couldn't_. "It's okay to tell me what's wrong, Liz."

"Lily." She whispered, closing her eyes as more tears made their way down her face.

James's eyes snapped open, and he slightly pulled away, a frown on his face. "What? What are you talking about?" he asked.

Lily took a deep breath, forced herself to stop crying and opened her eyes—strong, beautiful, but so damn _scared_ because it was _James_.

"My name," she said, "is Lily Catherine Evans. I am King Tom Riddle's niece; the princess of Gryffindor."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	17. Broken Shards

**Deception and Disguise**

**Broken Shards**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

It was cold.

Her hands were freezing, her insides ice, and her heart—her heart wasn't even beating. Or wait, was it beating too fast? She could feel the gash on her side numbing; she didn't think it was because of the bandage. It was because the other pain was dominating. The pain of fear.

Why wasn't he saying anything?

Lily felt like she had ripped out her heart from her chest and offered it to this wonderful, beautiful man in front of her. He held it in the palm of his hand. He could cherish and love it, or he could stab it until there was nothing left. The only thing was, she didn't know what she would do if he chose the latter. God, the silence was deafening.

"James—"

"Wait." He held up his hand, and Lily flinched. His voice was hoarse—as if he hadn't used it for years—and it sounded so pained that she just _did not want to hear it_. "You…you are _his_ niece?" The contempt in his voice was hard to ignore.

Lily sucked in a quick breath and squared her shoulders. "Yes. Yes, I am." She answered, blinking her eyes rapidly to hold back the brimming tears. "He is my uncle, and there is nothing I can do to change it, James. The fact remains that I am related to him by blood, but _trust me_ —there is _nothing_ else in common! That man is foul and evil! I would never do anything like that!" she pleaded, reaching forward to grab his hand.

He immediately shrugged off her grip, and her first sob escaped. "You want me to _trust_ you? After...after so many bloody lies?" Lily's hand fell limply to her lap as he jumped off the bed. "How could you? Didn't you feel sick? Playing with our emotions like that? I thought you were— _god,_ it was all a game for you wasn't it? And was I your plaything, _princess_?" He spat.

"No!" Lily cried immediately, standing up as well. She gasped as sudden pain shot through her abdomen and she staggered to steady herself. James clenched his jaw, fisted his hands, and managed to stop himself from moving forward. "N-no. I never—it was never a game for me." Lily choked out, aghast. "It was all real, James."

"Don't." He stopped her, and all the anger suddenly left his body, leaving a drained, defeated man behind. "Why would you do this? You could have told us—told _me_. Just once." His voice cracked on the last word as he looked down at her. God, she was beautiful. " _Why_? I trusted you."

"I had no choice," Lily's eyes trailed to the floor. She could not bear to look at him anymore. "What was I supposed to do, James? Ever since I arrived here, you've had only one opinion on royalty—you hated them! Hated me." Her voice had become quiet. Strained. "I just couldn't tell anyone—I was scared. Scared to lose you—all three of you. I'm so sorry." She shook her head, dropping to the floor as the tears took over.

"All these years…you had a _choice_! We didn't." James continued, his tone accusatory but soft. "But you didn't do anything—anything at _all_! You let him rule. Why?"

"I did not have the _power_ to do anything!" She shouted, because for _god's sake_ , she'd had enough. "You think I _enjoyed_ seeing him ruin people's life? You think I liked watching my father's murderer rule over the kingdom while I was forced to sit quietly? Well if you _did_ , then let me clear out something for you, James Potter—I did not! That man ruined my life! And don't you _dare_ talk to me like I chose not to do anything." Her chest was heaving by the time she finished, a fierce fire in her tone.

The Marauder's eyes had widened as she spoke, but he did not utter a word, choosing to nod his head instead. So she'd had a reason to lie—but that did not mean that she _had_ to! He would have understood if she had told him. He would have, right? Yes, yes of course he would have. _But she didn't know that,_ he frowned, running a hand through his hair. This was so frustrating!

"You signed that contract." It was only after the words were out of his mouth that James realized it was he who had spoken. "You agreed to marry Lucius Malfoy." There was disgust in his voice as he fished into his boots, pulling out the much-too-creased parchment. "There. I showed it to you, before. Do you have an answer to that, Your Highness?" His mocking tone was back, and she just could not _take it anymore._

Lily looked up from her position at the floor to find him waving the wretched piece of parchment in front of her. "Please," she whispered. "Please, stop that. I don't want to be a princess—not to you. James, I'm just another person. Just Lily." She said, pulling the paper out of his hands so that she could look at him properly. His face was expressionless, even though there was something in his eyes—something that Lily did not want to read too much into. "Yes, I did sign that contract," she finally sighed. "But it was another one of his tricks…I-I didn't know. I should have been more careful. But then again—"

"We stole the contract." James finished for her. She nodded. He exhaled loudly, pacing the room in frustration. "I can't believe I didn't notice it before," he was muttering to himself. "It was all there. Riddle's unnatural interest in you, your relationship with Mary MacDonald, that ring, your mannerisms, everything!" He turned to face her, incredulity stretched onto his face. "How did I not notice it before?"

"I don't know," Lily shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. She wasn't sure how to act at the moment. Was he still angry? He seemed so…distant. Yet, he wasn't shouting at her, neither had he stormed out of the room. She did not know what to make of this man. "I think you can answer that question better than me, James."

"What question?"

Both the occupants in the room jumped at the voice, their heads snapping towards the threshold in sync. Sirius was looking down at Lily with a concerned expression, her messy appearance confusing and worrying him at the same time. "Are you okay, Liz?"

"No. Something's wrong," Remus spoke up from beside him, his blue eyes shifting from James to Lily, and then back to James. "What's going on here?"

* * *

Peter Pettigrew jumped at the sudden bang of a door slamming open. His beady eyes wide and fearful, he turned around to find the king regarding him coolly. The pudgy man gulped, sweat forming on his brow as images of the guard's severed throat flashed through his mind. "Your H-highness." He bowed quickly, trying to hold in the bile that had risen at the memory.

"Hello, Peter," the king greeted back, and the cordial tone of his voice surprised the dealer so much that his head shot up. The black eyes that stared back at him, however, were anything but cordial. There was such malice, such anger in them that it made Peter feel sick anew. He wished to escape—to hide—so that he wouldn't have to face this man _ever_ again. "I'm afraid I must ask a favor of you, Peter." The king continued, a contemptuous smile pulling at his thin lips.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty." Peter squeaked in reply.

"You see…I'm looking for someone." Riddle informed casually, walking around Peter as a predator would his prey. "Someone whom I'm sure you know."

"Wh-who?"

The king stopped walking and stood in front of the man, powerful and intimidating. "The Marauders, Peter. I want to know where they are."

Peter felt as if all the air had left his lungs. _The Marauders?_ He _couldn't_. They were his friends. They helped him. He could not betray them like this. "I'm a-afraid I don't know who th-they are, Your Majesty." He stuttered nervously.

"Well, that is a shame," The king sighed mockingly, tracing the hilt of his sword. The image of the dead guard flashed through Peter's mind again. "It is a shame because I really had a handsome reward for you, Peter. A thousand gold pieces." He shook his head sadly.

"A th-thousand?" The beverage dealer could barely believe his own ears. The king nodded, a smirk on his face. So much gold, Peter wondered. So much gold that he would never need to suffer again. Or beg anyone for money. He would be independent, _rich_. The idea was too appealing. Too good. He could—no. _No_ , he wouldn't. He couldn't sell his friends for wealth and riches.

"Your Majesty, I do not know wh-who they are." He repeated.

"Do not. Lie to me." The king's cold voice sent shivers down his spine. All pretenses were gone. Peter was greeted with the furious demeanor of Tom Riddle. His eyes were like slits and his face deathly pale. It was like facing hell itself. "I am not that stupid. Who do you think you're fooling, you useless piece of filth? Everyone in the kingdom knows the Marauders, and so do you, Pettigrew. Who are they?" He repeated quietly.

Peter's hands shook. "I-I don't—"

"I _asked_ —" The king enunciated, pulling out his sword and pointing the blade at the quivering man. "Who. Are. They?"

"James Potter!" Peter blurted out in fear. His blue eyes immediately widened in shock and he fell to his knees, whimpering. "And Remus Lupin, a-and Sirius Black." He felt disgusted with himself—he'd sold them out like a rat. Shakily inhaling a deep breath, Peter looked up, and a part of his guilt morphed into pride when he noticed the king's satisfied expression. Surely the Marauders would understand—he'd had no other choice, Peter decided.

"Very good, Pettigrew. I knew you were not completely worthless," Riddle sneered. "However, there is one more thing I need from you." He continued, and Peter looked up in confusion. What more could he give? "Do you know of any girl who stays with the Marauders? Green eyes, red hair?"

"Th-the pr-princess?" He squeaked. To be honest, he had no idea why he'd been keeping her secret for so long. Sure, she had seemed nice, but in hindsight, he should have known that she would only lead him to trouble. And if he'd already given away the names of the Marauders, he might as well tell hers. _She_ was the one to be blamed for the situation, not him, Peter argued inwardly.

"Ah, so you _do_ know her." The king's eyes gleamed. He was impressed.

Peter nodded wordlessly.

"And do you know where they are?"

Peter gulped. Maybe this was a bit too much. "Wh-why?"

" _Why_?" The king mocked him, raising his eyebrows. "Because I want to pay them a visit, of course. Don't worry about that, Peter. Just tell me where they live, and I will reward you handsomely." He offered, grinning malevolently.

The blond man licked his lips at the thought. What could he do? He couldn't _not_ answer—the king would kill him. And besides, the allure of riches was too much. The Marauders would have done the same, he concluded as he looked up at the king. Yes, they would have done the same if they had been in his place. He couldn't be blamed. No, no he couldn't.

"They live in Godric's Hollow."

* * *

"…a-and then I found you." Lily finished, looking up at the three men in front of her with watery eyes and a blotchy face. "I knew it was wrong, and I felt _awful_ all the time, but—but I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry! I'm _so_ sorry" She gasped, dropping her head into her hands.

Sirius felt speechless. Liz—no, Lily was _royalty_? He couldn't wrap his head around the fact. She had lied…probably the entire time. Yet, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to hate her for it. He knew what it was like. What it was like to not have any friends—to have people hate you as soon as your name was uttered. Could he really blame her? She didn't even know him, or James, or Remus when they'd met. He understood her fear. The fear of being thrown away.

Before he was even aware of it, his feet carried him over to her huddled form. He didn't have to look back to notice the bemused expression on his friends' faces. "Hey, princess, look up." He said gently, tugging away her hands from her face and pulling her to her feet. She was still crying when her eyes met his. He smiled. "It's okay, love, I understand."

With a strangled sob, Lily launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder. Sirius stumbled back a little from the collision, but quickly steadied himself and her. "I'm s-so sorry, Sirius! I n-never meant—"

"Hush, I know." He soothed her softly. "Don't punish yourself, Lily. You had no other choice. I'm not mad at you."

The girl slowly pulled back, looking at him with surprise. "You-you're not?" she sniffed. "B-but I—"

"Lied to us?" Remus offered, walking towards the pair. Lily bit her lip and nodded, unable to stop the blush from spreading across her face. Remus sighed. "Well, yes, you did, but I don't think I can blame you for that. It would be quite hypocritical of us, to be honest. As far as I've seen, you're a wonderful person, Liz…er, Lily…um, what do I call you?" he scratched his head.

An unexpected snort escaped her. "Just Lily." She answered.

Remus grinned. "Right, Lily. Well, as I was saying, you're a wonderful person, and I don't think you deserve any of our hatred just because you lied about your _name_ , or because of your relations." He shrugged. "So, I'm not mad at you either." He smiled. Lily gave a watery laugh, and reached forward to hug him as well.

" _James_?" Sirius prompted the last Marauder.

Lily, with her heart in her mouth, looked up into hazel eyes that refused to reveal anything. She watched as he watched _her_ , his gaze intense and unwavering, making her feel extremely conscious of her every move. He slowly made his way towards her, never once breaking their connection. Once he was directly in front of her, she bit the inside of her cheek nervously. "I'm sorry." She apologized again.

"I—"

_BANG!_

All the occupants in the room jumped at the enormous sound, their eyes wide and surprised as they stared at the room's closed-door. "What was that?" Remus whispered, alarmed.

"I'll go see." James said, wrenching open the door and walking out. Sirius and Remus followed him, leaving Lily with indecision hanging over her.

As the trio made their way down the stairs, they were met with a horrific scene. Royal Guards. There were about fifteen of them, each of them carrying swords. They were scouring the house viciously, and it was only seconds before one of them noticed the three men rooted at the foot of the stairs. "THERE!" He shouted, immediately advancing forward with his sword.

"Shit!" Sirius cursed, quickly dodging the weapon in time. He noticed James pull out his dagger from his peripheral vision, and Remus strike a blow to the guard who had attacked him. The man fell to the floor, and Sirius grabbed his sword just in time to parry another blow. The metals clashed loudly and he felt the vibrations in his hand.

James, noticing a guard heading towards Remus with his sword, deftly moved his friend out of the way and slashed the blade against the attacker's shoulder. The man cried out in pain, clutching his wound as he dropped to the floor. "Thanks," Remus said, breathless. James nodded, unable to form any words for he was forced to engage in another fight.

Amidst all the cacophony and chaos, Arcturus Avery stealthily made his way up the stairs. He had to find her.

* * *

Lily's feet were quick and frantic as she hurried out of the room. She could recognize the sound of clashing swords any day. Oh god, she hoped nothing bad had happened, and that all three of them were okay. _Please please please!_

"Oof!" The air was knocked out from her lungs as a large figure roughly bumped into her. The force of the collision sent her sprawling to the floor, and Lily gasped as the injury on her side stung warningly. At this rate, her stitches would easily rip. She winced, tears springing to her eyes as she looked up at the person in front of her.

It was one of the guards. Avery, if she was not mistaken.

"Your Highness," He bowed mockingly. "I'm afraid I must ask you to come with me to the castle. The king's explicit orders, you see." He held out his hand to her, sneering.

Lily stared up at the man, disgusted. Did these people have no compassion? Fisting her hands angrily, the princess used her leg to swiftly kick the guard's shin. Hard.

Avery howled, cursing loudly as he staggered around in pain, giving Lily enough time to stand up. She quickly ran to the stairs, panting harshly as she tried to catch her breath. It was only seconds before she found herself facing what had turned into a hideous battlefield. Panic settling into her heart, her eyes quickly scanned the room for the three familiar faces.

James was engaged in a fight with two guards at once, his demeanor fierce and unrelenting. She watched as he used his silver-handled dagger to deftly slash a cut across one of the guards' palm. She diverted her eyes. Remus was also quick on his feet, effectively using the sword in his hand to fend off guards as they kept advancing on him. Sirius, on the other hand, had all but given up on weapons, instead choosing to get into a fist fight. He had acquired a small cut on his cheek, but otherwise seemed fine as he continued beating a guard black and blue.

Lily felt herself sag in relief. Her boys were okay.

"Wha—" She suddenly gasped, feeling a cool, sharp metal pressed right against her throat. Her emerald eyes, wide and afraid, darted from one side to another as she tried to look at the man who tightly held her hands to prevent movement.

"Drop your weapons, Marauders!" She heard Avery shout from behind her, and closed her eyes in defeat, a teardrop trickling down her face. "Surrender! Or I will kill her."

Lily opened her eyes, and watched with trepidation as the Marauders exchanged looks of panic. _No_ , she thought desperately. _No, they couldn't risk their lives._ Her eyes caught James's across the room, and she saw him look back at her with an unidentifiable emotion. Slowly, she shook her head at him, choking back a sob. He broke away his gaze almost immediately.

"Fine, kill her then." James said bluntly, and there wasn't a single soul in the entire room who didn't turn to look at him in shock.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	18. End of the Rope

**Deception and Disguise**

**End of the Rope**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"James! What are you talking about!?" Remus shouted, breaking the eerie silence of the room. Not a single soul moved, everyone too shocked to do anything, let alone fight. "You can't just—"

"Why not, Remus?" James cut across him, his voice cold and brutal. "That girl is nothing but trouble! Our lives are too valuable—I won't risk it for a princess who thought nothing of this kingdom and its people for years! A princess who only preferred to live in the comfort of her castle." His eyes then shifted to Avery's, and Lily, through her stream of tears, noticed that he was careful to avoid her gaze. "Go ahead, kill her." James repeated.

Avery was at a loss. His plan had completely backfired. Under no condition could he kill the princess—unless, of course, he wanted to see his head on a platter. And the king had also asked for the bloody Marauders _alive_. This man had turned the tables so suddenly, so quickly…unless, Avery realized with a jolt, he was bluffing. Yes, that had to be it!

He tightened the blade against the girl's throat strategically, and sneered when he heard her whimper of pain. "I'll do it." He threatened, his voice no more than a whisper.

And there it was— _exactly_ what Avery had been hoping for. That flash of uncertainty, of fear. He _was_ bluffing! "Get them!" He shouted, ordering the guards. Immediately, the commotion in the room resumed with a new vigor, and Avery watched, with no little amount of satisfaction, as one of the guards struck a blow to the Marauder's head with a sword hilt.

"James!" Both Sirius and Remus exclaimed, their eyes wide and afraid as they stared at their unconscious friend. Sirius, with a roar of anger, suddenly charged towards the culprit, knocking him straight to the ground with the force of the collision. He was blinded by fury, hitting left and right, until the man was almost dead, blood trickling out of his mouth.

"No." Lily whispered, shocked, as she saw James fall to the ground. _No no no, it couldn't be!_ "Let me go!" She screamed, moving her head and biting down hard on Avery's hand. She was acutely aware of the sting she got when the blade scratched against her neck. She stumbled, and touched the wound, exhaling when she realized it wasn't too deep.

"Aaargh!" The guard howled, immediately dropping the sword to clutch at his hand. It was bleeding. _That filthy little_ —Avery looked up, his eyes narrowing when he saw the princess's lithe form hurrying towards the Marauders. "Oh, no, you don't." he muttered under his breath, grabbing his sword and following her.

"James." Lily chocked out, dropping to her knees beside the unconscious figure. She looked up, and her eyes caught Remus's, who was trying to fight off the onslaught of guards. "Remus, what do I do!?" She cried, clutching James's hand in her own.

"Get out of here!" He shouted back. Lily's mouth dried up at the answer, and she looked around helplessly. How could she? She could never leave them alone. Leave Sirius—who was fighting for her in a way that no brother ever could? Leave Remus—whose fierce friendship and kindness meant so much to her? Or leave James—whom she couldn't even bear to see like this? She _couldn't_ leave. She'd rather die.

"Lily, watch out!" She heard Remus's alarmed voice, but before she could even move a muscle, she felt a sharp blow hit her head. As the pain took over and the blackness started clouding her eyes, Lily squeezed her fingers around James's hand, hoping against hope that when— _if_ —she opened her eyes, she would be able to see him again. At least one last time.

* * *

When James's senses slowly started to return back to him, the first thing he realized was that wherever he was, the place smelled something _awful_. It was a rotten, decaying smell which he honestly did not want to think much about. The second thing he noticed was that his hands were immobile—in fact, they were suspended above his head. Not only that, when he _did_ try to move his hands, unpleasant clanking noises emerged. This inevitably led to the realization that his head was pounding mercilessly, with or without the noises. Since neither of these observations bode too well with him, James finally opened his eyes.

The final realization—which effectively brought him to his senses—was that he was stuck in a prison.

"Welcome back, Sleeping beauty." Sirius's wry voice greeted him.

James blinked his eyes a few times, taking in the horrifying scene. His two best friends, not unlike him, had their arms suspended high with the help of thick metal chains, which tightly clamped around their wrists. Sirius was sporting a black eye and a bleeding lip, whereas Remus's clothes were torn, and James could make out an ugly bruise running down his shoulder. He felt his knuckles tightening in anger.

"What happened?" James heard himself ask.

"You got knocked out, that's what." Sirius answered, grimacing. "I'll spare you the violent and gory details of it, but long story short—two unconscious people and eight conscious guards were too much for me and Remus to handle. So…this is where we are, probably destined to be hanged in the gallows tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning?" James asked, craning his neck up to look at the dim twilight rays coming in from the window high up in the prison. "How long was I out for?"

"Quite a few hours." Remus replied, his voice weak and exhausted. "Those guards came in a few times already to—how do I put it—show their _hospitality_. You were still quite gone, luckily. We both, on the other hand, were not so lucky." He hissed in pain, flexing his bruised shoulder. "They'll be back again, I guess." He added, looking towards the prison bars in trepidation.

James closed his eyes and sagged against the wall, feeling his arms start to cramp from being kept in the same position for too long. He wished he was still out cold, still unaware of this nightmare—of how his friends were being treated, of how much they'd had to endure, of how _she_ was—

"Wait!" His hazel eyes suddenly shot open in panic. "Where's Li—uh, the princess?" he quickly corrected himself, feeling a pang in his chest again. He immediately pushed away the feeling.

Remus frowned, but did not say anything about James's way of addressing Lily. "Didn't you hear Sirius, James? ' _t_ _wo_ unconscious people'. She was knocked out, as well." He swallowed. "And…we have no idea where she is." He finished, looking down. He had tried so hard to not think about her—the girl who had brought him out of his shell, the girl who had become like a sister to him so soon. Yes, it had hurt when he'd found out the truth, but Remus was ashamed that he wasn't able to do _anything_ but watch as those guards carried her away.

James diverted his gaze at the reply, feeling his heart wrench so painfully that tears started pricking at the corner of his eyes. _Why!?_ He screamed inwardly. Why did she lie to him? Why didn't she say something? Why couldn't he help her? Why couldn't he hate her?

Why did he love her?

* * *

It was even before she had opened her eyelids that Princess Lily Evans knew she shouldn't do it. She wished she could forget everything for just a little more time. The reality was not where she wished to be. She wanted to be back at Godric's Hollow—with Sirius's humor, Remus's laughter, and James's stupid mood swings. But it was impossible to do it. The urge to make sure that they were _okay_ was too strong. So when her emerald orbs opened into the bright light of the chandelier, they were brave and determined.

"Finally," Lily heard someone speak from the end of the room. She just wished in vain that it wasn't who she thought it was. "Oh, how I have missed you, princess."

Taking a deep breath, Lily forced herself into a sitting position, aware of the sting that the cut in her abdomen gave. "Missed me, or missed your gold?" She found herself asking the man.

"Though I must say, I preferred it when you didn't open your mouth so much—it reduced the urge of killing you." King Tom Riddle confessed through a forced, contemptuous smile. He got up from his throne and leisurely walked towards Lily, his eyes black shards of ice. "But now you are making it very difficult, dear niece."

Lily clenched her teeth, staring up at the man with an amount of loathing which she did not know could even exist. "Why don't you just kill me then? Nothing's stopping you. Nothing ever has." She pointed out bravely.

Riddle's eyes flashed, and he realized that the princess was not about to back down. But he was King Tom Riddle, and he had learnt how to play this game long before she had. Slowly, deliberately, he reached inside the pocket of his cloak and fished out the piece of parchment that had been his constant nightmare and necessity for the past thirteen years. "This is why I cannot kill you." He informed her, unrolling the paper in front of her eyes. "At least, not yet."

Lily's eyes squinted in confusion at the king's twisted words, before they refocused on the parchment in front of her. "The Will of King Charles Henry Evans…" her voice faded away into a whisper of disbelief. As the seconds ticked by and the words flew past her, the princess found herself numbing, getting lost, moving away from everything she'd ever come to know. So this was why she was still alive? _This_ was why she'd not yet met the same fate as her father? This stupid, _petty_ reason?

_Lily, my blessings are always with you, child._

She felt a teardrop roll down her cheek and quickly brushed it away. _No_. If her father had gone to such an extent to protect the kingdom, there was no way that she could give it to this vile man so easily. As she reached out for the will, the king swiftly pulled it back. Startled, Lily looked up into his sneering face. "So you see, as satisfying as your death would be, I cannot kill you yet." Riddle pointed out casually, rolling up the parchment again.

The princess suddenly shot up and advanced towards the king, her red hair billowing behind her like fire. When she spoke, her voice shook—not with fear, but with unadulterated rage. "I don't know why now, after all these years, you bothered to show my father's will to me, Your _Highness_ , but if you are deluded into thinking that I will marry Prince Lucius after reading this, then you are very much mistaken." Her green eyes narrowed. "In fact, it has strengthened my resolve even more."

After a few seconds of silence, the king laughed loudly, surprising the princess. She frowned as the cold sound echoed through the room. "You foolish girl, you really think that this decision is up to you?" He asked rhetorically. "I only showed your useless father's will to you because I wanted you to know that I am not keeping you alive out of any pity. And as far as the marriage is concerned," he smiled contemptuously, "I _know_ you will marry the prince."

Lily's fingers fisted. "And how is that?" she gritted out.

Riddle sneered. "Why, because of your dear Marauders, of course." He replied.

And suddenly, she felt the wind being knocked out of her lungs. "W-what?" Lily stammered, her green eyes wide.

The king's smile widened. He'd hit the target. "Why? Something wrong, princess? I am talking about the Marauders—the same disgraceful thieves you have been living with for so long like a wench!" He spat out. "The same men who stole the contract. The ones you shall watch _die_." He enunciated, and before Lily was even able to process the information properly, the king was calling for the guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Greyback bowed down.

"Bring him here—the one with the contract. The one who dared to attack me." Riddle ordered. "Get me James Potter."

* * *

"Shit, they're coming back." Remus's urgent voice broke James out of his reverie. His head shot up, and he strained his ears for the approaching sound of footsteps that was getting louder by each second. Soon enough, three guards—two of whom James recognized from his frequent encounters—entered his line of vision.

"Ah, he's awake." One of the men announced delightfully, pulling out a bunch of keys from his pocket. "There better be no funny business." He threatened as the cell unlocked with a loud click. James watched with apprehension as the three guards quickly filed into the dingy prison. However, much to his surprise—and immense relief— the guards did not immediately start pummeling them, instead choosing to sneer cryptically at him.

"Time to go, lover boy." Greyback cackled, walking towards James and—to the Marauders' shock—removing the shackles from around his wrists. A huff of breath immediately left his lips as his hands fell to his sides. God, that felt good. James quickly flexed his arms, and looked around in confusion when he noticed that his friends remained bound to chains. "C'mon, hurry up!" Greyback barked again, pushing James sharply and forcing him to stumble forward.

"Hey! What's happening?" Sirius shouted, pulling against his restraints. He noticed Remus trying to do the same.

"Yeah, what's going on?" James asked, unbidden panic creeping into his voice. "Where are you taking me? What about—"

"Enough with the questions." Macnair snapped at him, helping Greyback push James out of the prison. "Keep your mouth shut, or we know other ways of doing it for you." He threatened. With that said, the guards forced James down the corridor, the loud protests of Sirius and Remus clearly bouncing off the walls, even as they progressed further and further away from the cell.

"Let me go!" James fought against the deathly grip that the unknown, gargantuan guard had on him. It was to no avail. He really wished that he had a sword with him right then. " _Where are you taking me_?" He asked for what felt like the umpteenth time. Apparently, Greyback—who had been walking in front of James—shared his sentiments on that matter, because the guard suddenly whirled around, the blade of his sword only feet away from James's neck.

"One. More. Word." He gritted out angrily, "And it'll be the last one you ever utter."

The Marauder couldn't help but scoff. "Oh, please, I've seen enough of that. You and I both know that you're not going to kill me, Greyback. So don't bother with the faux threats." His hazel eyes were cold and challenging, even though the rest of him was seemingly calm and unbothered. "Now tell me where you're taking me, and what you're going to do with my friends."

Greyback sneered. "Oh, _I'm_ not going to do anything at all."

And before James could retort or argue anymore, he was suddenly being dragged into a large chamber—which James recognized as the throne room—by MacNair and the beefy guard whose fingers were definitely going to crush his shoulder bone.

All these thoughts suddenly evaporated, however, when he noticed the two occupants of the room.

"You cannot do this!" She was shouting, face flushed and green eyes _furious_. She was beautiful. "You cannot play with people's lives like this. You are a selfish, arrogant, _disgusting_ —"

"Your Highness." MacNair hastily, yet awkwardly, cut in. "W-we-we've got him."

James determinedly kept his eyes trained on the king—whose knuckles had turned white from gripping his sword in anger—even as he caught the flash of auburn hair flying as the princess whipped her head around to look at him. He couldn't resist his eyes from darting, however, when he heard her sharp intake of breath. "James," she gasped, biting her lip as her eyes took in his appearance.

James quickly looked away, feeling his throat clog up. "Why have you brought me here?" he asked, his voice frosty cold as he stared at the king's pitiless black eyes. "Let me and my friends go." He clenched his jaw in anger.

Riddle simply laughed; a cold, cruel laugh that made the hair on the back of James's neck crawl. "You do not really expect me to do that, Potter." He said. "You and I both know that. Your death is inevitable. And _imminent_." He sneered.

"Then just get to the point, Riddle," James said bravely.

"The point," the king enunciated, "Is that I am ready to give you and your friends another chance, Potter—a chance of escape, a chance to live…"

" _If_?" James drawled, knowing very well that there _had_ to be a condition involved.

Riddle's eyes gleamed. " _If_ you return the contract. The contract you stole."

James's eyes snapped to Lily's briefly, and he quickly diverted his gaze when he saw the tears pooling in her eyes. _No_ , he couldn't do it. There was no question about it. "I'm afraid I don't have it, Your Highness. I lost it." James replied casually.

"Oh, you silly boy," The king tutted, shaking his head mockingly. "I thought you were more sensible than this. But no matter—" His stance then shifted slightly, and James watched as, with a malicious grin, Riddle turned to look at Lily. "I'm sure the princess can help us out here. Now, _Lily_ , tell your dear friend that it does not matter if he lost the contract. Tell him it does not matter because we shall make a _new_ one. Invite him to your marriage, won't you?"

Lily felt the world crumbling around her like dust. The more she tried to hold on, the more it slipped away from between her fingers. "I'm _not_ marrying Prince Lucius." She said, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

"Are you sure about that?"

" _Yes_." She could not have been surer.

"Very well then," the king nodded. "Greyback!"

And before he'd even had a chance to react or move a muscle, James felt a fist suddenly connecting to his jaw with surprising force. Unprepared and unsteady, the Marauder fell to the ground with a grunt, feeling his jaw throbbing painfully. As he slowly struggled to push himself up using his hands, James heard her speak.

"Stop!" Lily screamed, watching as MacNair swiftly kicked James on the ribs, compelling the Marauder to fall to the floor again. She noticed his head hit the marble tile with force, and tried to hurry forward to help him. It was useless though, for at that moment, the king grabbed her upper arm in an iron grip, preventing her from even taking a single step forward. " _Please_ , stop!" She sobbed. "J-just let him go!"

"I will," Riddle hissed angrily. "But only if you agree to my terms."

"What _terms_?" Lily cried, knowing the answer in her heart all too well even as she asked the question.

"You will get married to the prince in the next forty-eight hours," the king gritted out, still allowing the guards to continue injuring James, who was helplessly scrunching up to protect himself as much as possible.

Hot tears poured down the princess's cheeks relentlessly. _How could she_? Her mind screamed—practically tearing her apart. She couldn't marry Lucius! Especially not when she already loved—no. She could _not_ let the kingdom suffer in the hands of this filthy man. She couldn't!

But even as these thoughts ran through her head, she knew what she had to do—she knew and she didn't want to know. She didn't want to be so _selfish_! But…it was _James_ , she argued with herself, defeated. And that was when she lost the battle. She _had_ to do it.

"I-I'll marry him." Lily whispered finally, her voice cracking. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she dropped to the floor, arm pulled at a painful angle as the king refused to relinquish his hold on her. "I'll marry Lucius." She said, her tears blurring the image of James on the floor.

She couldn't tell if she was fortunate or not. Fortunate that she couldn't see his bloodied form, or unfortunate because she couldn't see him clearly at all.

The thought kept her mind preoccupied for a split second, before the king's cold, satisfied voice pierced through the air.

"Enough!" He ordered the guards, who immediately stopped their attacks. Riddle was smiling. "You are a very lucky man, James Potter. Your life has been saved—not many are fortunate enough to live after crossing paths with me. Go. You are free." He spoke to James, his voice high and clear. "And do not dare return to the palace, for I do not offer second chances."

Lily could not be sure if James had heard the king or not. Firstly because her chest hurt— _hurt_ like nothing she'd ever felt and she, herself, was barely able to catch his words. The second reason was that James himself seemed to be recovering—his hands shook horribly as he tried to push himself up yet again, and dry coughs racked through his body as he sat up, his hands on his—undoubtedly bruised—ribs. But then he spoke, and Lily knew that he had definitely heard Riddle.

"You can't keep her here."

It was a second before the princess realized that she was the subject of his comment.

"And what makes you say that?" The king asked imperiously. His smile had vanished.

"She's not who you think she is." Was James's only reply. Lily did not know if she'd imagined it or not—but she thought she saw the Marauder spare her a glance for about half a second. A glance which conveyed things that the princess could only _foolishly_ hope of. It couldn't be true. But then why was her heart beating quicker? And why were her insides melting even as tears continued their trail down her face?

"You are sorely tempting me to decapitate you, Potter." Riddle snarled venomously, his glare nothing short of murderous. "Throw him and his filthy friends out of here!" He barked to the guards.

It barely took a second for the men to advance towards James once more. But Lily was not done yet— _this_ could not be it. She wanted to talk to them— _see_ them. One last time. She deserved that. She knew she did. "No, wait!" She called out, scrambling up from the floor, her chest still heaving from her sobs. "I-I want…I want to talk to him." She pleaded to the king.

The man was darkly amused. "I am afraid you have run out of bargains, princess." He sneered. "And time."

The refusal ignited such a sudden fire in the princess's eyes that it momentarily surprised the king. Only _momentarily_ —for he was well aware of his power. And as he'd expected, a second later, the impudent girl was once again a disgusting mess, crying hopelessly. It immensely satisfied the king—she deserved to know her place.

"L-Lily." James's voice was soft and hesitant as he called out to the girl. He kept his eyes trained on the broken form of the princess, and it was a second later that hazel met green. She was breathtaking. And she wouldn't be his. "You don't have to do this." He said.

Lily exhaled a loud, shaky breath—or maybe a sob—and tightly shut her eyes, blocking him away. Blocking the world away. It would be easier this way. She _thought_ it would be easier this way. More tears rolled down her pale, flawless skin. "I do, James." She found herself saying. "I do."

It was not easier. Not even a little bit.

Riddle angrily nodded his head at the guards, and when the princess opened her eyes again, he was gone.

James was gone.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	19. Lacerated

**Deception and Disguise**

**Lacerated**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

Sirius heard it before he saw them.

The sound of footsteps echoing down the dingy hallway. It had become familiar to him over the past few hours, but that did not, under any circumstances, make it any less ominous. His back stiffened—as much as it could, given his chained hands—and his grey eyes darted towards his companion in alarm. Remus was already looking back at him.

Sirius had only a split second to notice his friend's exhausted expression and beaten up demeanor, before the cell was, once again, thrown open with a loud clang. And suddenly, Sirius's anger returned, full force.

"You bloody swine! Where is he!?" The marauder craned his neck, eyes searching frantically. He wasn't there. James wasn't there. _No, no, no_. "What have you done to him? Where is James!? I swear to god, if Riddle has laid a _finger_ on my mate, I will—"

"Oh look, the mutt is angry." One of them cackled loudly, apparently finding the situation entirely too hilarious. Sirius, at that moment, would not have minded bashing his head against the walls at all. "What are you going to do, pretty face?"

"There's no need to get so testy. Your friend is free to go." The other guard drawled, irritated, and Sirius could do nothing but blink in surprise for a few seconds. "And so are you lowlifes."

"Wait…what?" Remus spoke up feebly, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "We can go? Just like that?" He asked, articulating words that Sirius was too shocked to do.

"Yes. His Highness has shown mercy." The guard replied, looking none too happy with the fact.

"I don't give two shits about 'Your Highness'." Sirius snarled, finally able to unglue his tongue. "Get on with it, what's the catch here? Is this some sick joke, or trick? Is he not satisfied with having us walk to the gallows? A more painful death, perhaps? Is that it?" He spat.

"Quiet, you ungrateful creature!" The guard shouted. "Enough with your questions. You better scurry out of here before I slit your throat." With that said, the guard marched forward and got rid of the shackles that were binding Sirius to his place. As soon as his arms fell to his sides, the Marauder rushed towards the guard, wasting no time. He could _not_ let this happen. There was something fishy going on here, and he'd be damned if he didn't do something to stop it.

"Not so fast!" The other guard muttered, before Sirius felt two arms restraining against him. "What's the matter, Black? Didn't you listen? Keeping you here would do us no good, anyway. You are not that valuable." He heard the guard say. The Marauder watched as Remus was freed from his chains as well, and how he immediately crumpled to the ground with a groan. Sirius struggled to rush forward, positive that the ruthless fiend would grab the opportunity and kill his friend.

However, much to his surprise, the guard simply stood, looking down at Remus's form, waiting for him to stand up. Remus himself seemed to find this extremely strange as he quickly staggered to his feet, feeling behind him for the support of the wall. He looked defiantly at the guard.

"Well? Now what? Are you going to take us to Riddle?"

"The king does not have time to address scum like you," the guard merely sneered. "I told you; you are free to go. Your friend—that Potter—he has already left the palace. Now we have to make sure that you two are also out of the castle. His Highness will not tolerate your presence when there is such an important event to take care of."

"W-what?" Remus coughed, stealing Sirius's question. "What event?"

The two guards shared a look, before the one standing behind Sirius—having loosened his grip on the Marauder—laughed cryptically. "I'm sure the lover boy will be happy to answer your questions." He said, promptly pushing Sirius forward so that he stumbled out of the cell. From his peripheral vision, the marauder caught sight of Remus being dragged out of the prison as well.

For a second, Sirius contemplated raising his elbow and simply gutting the guard—and with the right maneuver, he knew it was possible—but then he considered Remus's beaten up condition, and the fact that they were inside the palace, before resigning himself to his fate.

What was to come would come, and then they would have to face it.

* * *

"You are going to let me stay in here, again?" The princess asked, her green eyes—once so lively and fiery—now dull. She looked at the king and gestured towards her royal bedroom. "After what happened? I thought you would have thrown me into some prison. What if I escape again?" She asked bitterly.

Riddle laughed. "Oh, do not worry, Princess. I _know_ you will not repeat that mistake again. Your _friends_ —" He spat the word "may have received a pardon, but you know, as well as I do, what the consequence of another single mistake will be. Their lives will not be spared again." He pushed open the doors to the chamber. "Besides, this is a big occasion. We will have guests. I cannot have the _princess_ locked up now, could I?" He said, and before Lily could utter another word, she was roughly pushed inside the room.

"Because of your stupidity, now you do not have a maid for all your preening." The king snarled. "But not to worry, I will have someone arranged within the next 24 hours, princess. There will be no more hindrance to this wedding. The whole kingdom will know about this marriage! And they will know that I am their true ruler. I will not be questioned _ever_ again!" He sneered, and with a swish of his robes, he was marching out of the chamber, shutting the door with a slam that echoed in Lily's ears even long after he had left.

The princess collapsed onto the bed in a mess of tears and sobs. This was it. She was resigned to this fate. She was everything she had never wanted to become. She was weak, vulnerable, getting married to a snobbish prince, and now, because of her, the entire kingdom would perish. She would be the one to be blamed. It was _all_ her fault! Lily cried out into the quilt, her scream of frustration muffled by the material.

She could _never_ be like her father. Riddle had won. And without the Marauders, Gryffindor did not stand a chance; poverty and hunger would kill everyone. She knew the king's intentions. And her father's will clearly said—

With a loud gasp, Lily jolted up, her face pale and glistening with tears. Her fingers clutched the quilt, her head pounded, and she closed her eyes.

_The validity of this will remains until Lily Catherine Evans has deceased or she passes on the ownership of the kingdom and the duty of its welfare to someone else once she comes of age._

There was no other way. She would have to do it.

* * *

"Where is he!?" Sirius asked, running a frustrated hand through his hair. His other arm was supporting Remus as the latter limped beside him, looking around as well. The two Marauders had been thrown out of the palace with orders of leaving the kingdom within a day. As far as Sirius was concerned, the king's orders could go screw themselves for all he cared. He just had to find James.

"Sirius." Remus said, pointing somewhere to their left. Sirius whipped his head towards that direction, and there he was, hunched over with his head in his hands. He was sitting on the cobble-stoned sidewalk, his shirt dirty and torn.

"James!" Sirius called, rushing over to him. The messy-haired marauder looked up, and immense relief immediately flooded his features. Sirius noticed the bruises on his face and the bloodstains on his shirt as they got closer. "Dear God, what happened to you!? How did they let us go?"

"He got what he wanted." James replied, looking away. "We have to leave the kingdom in—"

"In a day, we know." Sirius finished for him, sharing a look with Remus. This was not the person they'd known for all these years. This was not the James they recognized. The person in front of them was lost, clueless, and absolutely devastated. "But that's not what I'm talking about. Mate, what happened? Where's—where is she?" Sirius finally managed to ask, his voice soft and hesitant.

For a moment, it seemed to Sirius as if his question had been unheard. But then he noticed the stiffness of the shoulder, the tightly clutched fists, and he knew. Something was very _very_ wrong.

"James, where is Lily!?" Remus repeated loudly, pushing forward and placing a hand on James's shoulder. The latter's face remained stoic, which only served to increase Remus's worry. "Would you just _tell_ us what's going on? What did Riddle say? How did they let us go? And why on earth isn't Liz—Lily with you!?" He prodded, shaking James by the shoulder.

"Come on, mate, answer him." Sirius said.

"She bargained with him!" James suddenly yelled, startling the two Marauders. "She bloody bargained with that monster, and saved our lives, that's what happened!" He screamed, tears of anger pooling into his eyes. Sirius and Remus watched, stunned to silence, as he buried his face in his hands, clutching at his hair in frustration. "I-I couldn't do _anything_! I was just a pathetic little bait that Riddle used. And she—" he took a deep breath, looking up at his friends again. "Lily sacrificed her life. For me."

"S-sacrificed her...James, what are you talking about?" Sirius asked, kneeling down in front of his friend. "What did she do? What did Riddle use you as bait for?"

"Riddle asked her to marry Prince Lucius." James answered, his voice barely more than a whisper. But they heard him; James could tell from their shocked expressions. "He asked her to marry him, or he would kill me. And Lily—she…" his voice faded away, almost in wonder. _Awe._ "She accepted his condition. To save me. To save my life." James muttered, more to himself than the other two. Suddenly, he leaped to his feet, startling Sirius.

"What am I doing?" James shook his head. "I cannot let her do this! This is plain torture—I cannot let her throw her life away like this. I cannot let Riddle win. I have to stop this marriage!" He ran a hand through his hair, and with a sudden spur of energy, started to walk away.

"James. James, _stop_! Where are you going?" Remus limped after him. "Back to the castle? Are you absolutely _daft_!?"

"Maybe." He continued down the path. "But I cannot let her marry Lucius."

"Okay, wait!" Remus, with an unexpected amount of force, suddenly yanked James to a halt. "I _know_ you don't want this marriage to take place, alright? I know how much you loathe Riddle, and how much you love Lily, but walking back there is like welcoming death with open arms. It will put all her efforts to waste!"

"Whoa! I do _not_ love—"

"Shut _up_. We don't have time for the denial game anymore, James." Sirius cut him off, joining the two marauders. "Remus is right. You cannot go back to the castle. They _will_ kill you, and she will have to marry that spoilt brat anyway."

"Well, then what _can_ I do!?" James shouted with frustration, throwing his hands up into the air.

Remus exhaled heavily. "This will probably be a huge-risk, not to mention we will owe someone our lives for all of eternity for doing this, but…" he looked at his friends uncertainly. "If none of _us_ can enter the palace, I think I know someone who can."

* * *

She didn't know how much time had passed since he had left her. How much time had passed since two guards were assigned to patrol under her balcony. Could have been a few hours, a few days, or even a few years for all she knew. Nothing seemed to surprise her anymore. It felt like it was a lifetime ago when she was in that alley with James. The crooked smile, the warm skin, and mischievous hazel eyes that always _always_ seemed to be saying something.

Lily pinched her eyes shut, trying to block out the image from her head, but succeeded in doing nothing but allowing a drop of tear to trickle down the side of her face. She took a deep breath, and looked up, green eyes staring blankly at the canopy of her bed. It was only a matter of a few hours, she told herself. Just a few hours for herself—for the best memories of her life. For him.

After that it would all be over. Nothing else would matter after that.

The answer seemed so simple. A cut on her wrist. A bottle of the apothecary's poison. It would be quick. So simple. So utterly frightening.

But she would do it. She _had_ to. Her life would save thousands. She would have to kill herself.

_Knock knock knock_

The princess quickly sat up on her bed, rushing to wipe the tears on her cheeks, which, she was surprised to discover, had long since dried. "Who is it?" she called, her voice scratchy and heavy from the lack of use. Or perhaps it was all the screaming from before. She couldn't be sure.

"I am the new maid, Your Highness. The king sent me." Came the feeble reply.

Lily clenched her teeth at the answer, feeling the anger boiling inside her again. Of _course_ he had sent a maid. As if sending her to the grave hadn't been enough, he wanted to make sure that the corpse was well-dressed and presentable for everyone's enjoyment.

But it wasn't the poor girl's fault, after all, Lily finally decided, pushing down her resentment for the king. "Yes, you may come in." She said, falling back on her bed again. Her uncle could send who he liked, but nothing could waver her decision anymore. The maid wouldn't know that she was actually wasting her time over a dead princess. Or one who would be dead in a few hours, anyway.

"Would you like to change your clothes, princess?" The new girl asked. "Yours are in shreds."

Lily looked down at her clothes—the ones she'd used for a disguise. The black shirt, the brown breeches. _Like a true p_ _rincess_ , Lily thought bitterly. The clothes were indeed in shreds now, stained with blood and grime. "Alright," she conceded, sitting up. "I will change, but please do not throw these away." She said, finally looking up at the maid.

And promptly jumping off the bed.

" _You_!"

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	20. Glazing Over

**Deception and Disguise**

**Glazing Over**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

The princess stood, gaping, on her spot, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to attach a name to the face. "How did you get in here?" was what Lily managed instead.

The girl's deep blue eyes lowered, and she bowed her head humbly, even though an enigmatic smile played on her lips. "I was appointed as a replacement for your previous maid, of course, Your Highness." She answered, reaching up to tuck a strand of brown curl behind here ear.

Lily shook her head, slowly at first, and then rapidly. "No, no, no. Stop it. Don't call me that. You are…I've met you before, haven't I? At the market? When I was with—"

"The Marauders, yes!" The girl completed for her, seeming completely delighted with the situation. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about it."

"I don't understand," Lily continued, "What are you doing here, er…"

"Dora." The girl answered.

The princess nodded her head quickly, recognition coming to her fast and clear. "Yes, Dora, why are you here? This is not…it's not somewhere you would want to be, trust me."

"But this is where I _should_ be. This is where they need me." Dora replied, setting down the clean outfit which had been previously resting in her hands. Lily simply followed the movement with her eyes, too confused to say anything, or do anything, other than listening. "The Marauders," The girl elaborated, "They sent me."

"The Marau…no. _No_ , Dora, what are you _saying_? They sent you? For what?!" Lily balled up her fists, shaking, broken, but firm. Resolute. "It's too late now. Please, I've come to terms with my fate, and now they have to as well. This is the only way."

"No, Lily!" The girl strode forward, a sympathetic smile on her face. "You have to know that this is wrong. You know how they feel about you. How _he_ feels about you." She whispered. Lily took a deep breath, face flushing, but did not say anything. "If it weren't for you, I would have never met Remus. But I _did_ , and he is just the most wonderful person ever. I can never thank you enough for that, but well, this is me trying anyway. I know where your heart truly lies, Lily. And it's not here, not in the confines of this palace. This is not how it should be." Dora implored, taking Lily's hand in her own.

"Maybe you're right." The princess finally breathed, and for a second, Dora felt a beautiful sense of victory. "This is not how it should be. But this is how it _has_ to be."

"Lily—"

" _No_ , listen to me!" The princess wrenched her hands away. "There is no other choice, Dora! Don't you see? If I don't do this, everything is lost! The whole kingdom will starve to _death_! Riddle will kill everyone, he will become a monster. And you think I can live with that? Knowing it was all my fault?!" She scoffed, shaking her head. "This is it. There's nothing anyone can do anymore."

Dora slowly wiped her palms on the skirt of her dress, looking calm as her dark blue eyes stared at Lily. "And you think that this marriage will solve the problem?" she asked quietly. "You think that Riddle will leave Gryffindor alone after this? You really believe that he is not a monster already?"

Lily bit her lip, swallowing hard, and looked away. "Well, I guess that is just a risk I will have to take. This is the only choice I have now, Dora." she said, sitting down on the bed again. Lily _knew._ She knew Riddle would not keep his promise; he would not leave Gryffindor in peace. But she was also right; she knew what she had to do, and she really did _not_ have any other choice.

"Of course not!" The girl cried, pulling Lily away from her musings. "Don't feel so hopeless, Lily, in fact there are plenty other solutions to this problem—"

"I am not running away, again." The princess interjected, defeated and tired as the words left her mouth.

"You don't have to go anywhere." Dora said enigmatically. "In fact, you have to stay right here."

"What are you—" Lily started with a confused frown on her face, when all of a sudden, something whizzed through the air, eliciting a small squeak from Dora as it hit the wall directly opposite the balcony, and fell with a clang on the floor. The princess held her breath, unable to formulate any thought whatsoever as she stared at the object with unblinking eyes. The room spun, and Lily was glad she was already sitting because it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

"Well, it's about time," she heard Dora say. But the voice was muffled and unclear as it was drowned out behind the loud pounding of her heart. "But in the name of Gryffindor, someone could have gotten _hurt_!"

Lily barely registered the girl walk out of the room towards the balcony—the same place from where she'd escaped all those days ago—and her fingers clutched onto the bed sheet to stop them from shaking. _No, this could not be happening!_ Her insides screamed. _What were they doing?!_

They had to be completely out of their minds.

It was when she heard him—his voice like a soothing salve, but also like fire that burned her completely—that she finally managed to move her eyes away from the dagger on the floor.

The same dagger she'd practiced with. The same dagger he always fidgeted with. The dagger she'd recognize anywhere. Lily's heart thudded so hard, she was certain it was trying to escape. Escape from the inevitable hurt.

It was James's dagger, after all.

* * *

Not Too Long Ago

"She will do it."

James Potter and Sirius Black exhaled long breaths of relief as their third counterpart exited the Tongs' household. It really was asking for too much, James realized, and he couldn't have been more grateful. Entering the castle and endangering her life for someone else's sake was no easy feat, and he would always respect Nymphadora for that.

"I just hope this works out," Remus muttered desolately. "If something were to happen to her, I don't—"

"Everything will be fine, mate." Sirius cut him off with an encouraging squeeze of the shoulder. The Marauder craned his neck around to look at the house before frowning. "But where is she? And how are we going to get her inside the castle?"

To his surprise, Remus smiled. "That's all taken care of. Fortunately, right before our release, Riddle had declared the need for a maid at the palace—undoubtedly a replacement for Mary MacDonald. And since there won't be a lot of competition for the job, that saves us the trouble of trying to get her inside. Now, come along." He said, starting to walk away.

"That's great, Remus," James said, falling into step, Sirius at his side, "But why isn't Dora coming along? Did you tell her the plan?"

"I did, indeed." Remus nodded. "And she was clever enough to point out that being seen with us will only raise suspicions. So, she'll be on her way to the palace as soon as we leave."

Sirius smirked, impressed. "Nice choice, mate." There was no response from his fellow Marauder, but as they rounded the corner, Sirius could have sworn he caught a tinge of red staining Remus' cheeks, and he chuckled quietly.

"We'll need all the help we can get." James said after a while. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, and changed directions. "Come on, there's someone who might be able to help us."

Remus and Sirius, realizing who he was talking about, readily followed James into the familiar, dingy shop that reeked of alcohol. "Peter!" Sirius called upon entering. "Peter, it's us. We need your help."

There was a clatter from deep within the shop, before the pudgy silhouette of Peter Pettigrew scurried out to meet them. "Y-yes? What is it?" His blue eyes were big and fearful, more so than usual, and Sirius was surprised to notice that unlike most days, he seemed to be afraid, not of anything else, but…of _them_.

"Er…" Remus seemed to notice it too, his eyes snapping to Sirius' in a moment of confusion before looking back at Peter. "Are you okay? You seem a little…uncomfortable."

"F-fine fine." The beverage dealer insisted. "I'm okay. Did you need something?"

That seemed to kick James into action again, and he nodded his head, a new sort of urgency filling his voice. "Yes, actually there is. Peter, we need your help. We need to get back inside the palace and up into the princess's room. Can you help us with that?" His hazel eyes pleaded.

"Back into the palace?!" Peter seemed to choke on the words. "Good god, I-I can't help you with _that_!" He took a step backward, his voice ending at a high-pitched squeak that had Sirius narrowing his eyes.

"Pete, this is not some joke. This is serious. We need your _help_. Isn't there anything you can do?"

"Exactly. Sirius is right. In fact, if we are careful enough and plan everything properly, we can actually reinstate happiness in Gryffindor."

"We have come this far. This could very possibly be our last chance to overthrow Riddle." James added, the idea just popping into his head with brilliant clarity. " _Please,_ Peter, help us!"

"Well, what if I don't _want_ the king to be overthrown?!" Was the sudden, loud, and unexpected reply. Peter, along with all the three Marauders, seemed to be shocked at what he'd just said. "I-I mean, think about it, alright? What if we just do as he says? The k-king can reward us handsomely. We will _never_ have to be poor again." His blue eyes seemed to get wider as he spoke, a maniacal sort of glint filling them which had Sirius immediately wary.

"Pettigrew, what did you do?" He asked slowly.

Remus frowned, watching as the man's beady eyes danced nervously between the three Marauders. "I-I didn't have a choice…" Peter started, and Remus's heart immediately dropped to his stomach. "He th-threatened me, and then promised t-to give me rewards that would change my _life_ if I—"

"If you _what_ , Peter?" James's voice was carefully controlled, deceptively quiet, his jaw clenched, his muscles strained. "What did that bastard have you do?"

"I-I told him the whereabouts of the princess—"

"You _knew_?!" Sirius's hands clenched into fists, his grey eyes shards of glass.

"I'd m-met her in the castle before, yes. B-but you have to understand; the king's power—I was _helpless._ And he said he wouldn't kill any of you, and here you are. Alive. So, h-he showed mercy, and—" The rest of his words were cut off with a choking noise as two hands wrapped around his windpipe, knocking the beverage dealer to the ground. Peter thrashed his legs, gagging, and tried to push the attacker's weight off of his body to no avail. Through his haze of panic, he heard shouting and yelling.

"You _sold_ us out. You _fed_ us to him like a bloody _coward_ , and now you try to defend him?!" James spat on his face, his whole frame shaking with anger as he held Peter pinned to the ground. There were arms wrapped around him, trying to pull him off, but he couldn't let go. _Wouldn't_. It was all his fault, and she was in this mess because of this man. _This_ one. "You think Riddle showed us _mercy_?! He had no choice!"

"James—"

"If Lily hadn't made that bargain with him, we'd all be dead meat, you wretch!" Peter's eyes were almost rolling to the back of his head when the hands around his neck finally loosened, and the weight was lifted off of him. "And you have the galls to credit your _cowardice_ for our release?! You pathetic little rat!" James said, shaking with rage as he watched Peter cough and sputter, taking in huge gulps of air.

 _She could die because of him_ , he thought, threading his fingers through his hair in frustration. In an effort to stop himself from launching at Peter's throat again, James faced the wall and yelled, _yelled_ in a manner that Sirius could only term torturous. Like his whole being was being ripped to shreds. One at a time.

Peter was somehow staggering to his feet, clutching the lice-eaten desk for support, when he heard the Marauder shout, as if in agony. Then, in a moment of startling clarity, he watched James kick a shelf-full of wine bottles, which went crashing down on the stone floor, glass after glass shattering in sequence, the amber liquid looking ominously like blood as it stained the floor, seeping through every tile.

And then James was at his face again, clutching Peter's collar and hauling him to his feet, a silver-handled dagger poised to kill. "If it weren't for all those times you sneaked into the palace for us, this blade would have tasted your flesh by now," he promised.

Peter gulped.

This was not James. The uncaring, cool Marauder he'd come to idolize. No. This man was like fire itself, anger and pain evident in his features, on his hazel eyes that meant every word he'd said. "And if something happens to her, Peter, mark my words, I will ensure you meet your end even if I die." With that, Peter felt himself being hurled backwards, where his legs painfully collided with the table.

"Let's go," James said, striding towards the exit without another look back. Sirius's hand on his shoulder stopped him, and James looked up. Grey eyes stared back at him, full of anger and promise themselves.

"We will save her, mate." He whispered.

James simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he felt his throat clogging up, and something gripping his heart, squeezing, _squeezing._

That was when Peter Pettigrew spoke up again.

"Look at what she's done. She ruined everything. We were better off without her. We could have continued helping the people like we'd always done, with nothing to worry about." He said. "But then she had to run off from the palace, instead of marrying the prince like a princess should. And she forced—"

With a mighty thud, the beverage-dealer's unconscious form slumped to the floor, effectively cutting off his words. "Shut up, you bastard," Remus spat, pocketing the dagger he'd used to club the man over his head.

The decrepit door to the wine shop squeaked shut as three men exited the place, the whereabouts of Peter Pettigrew unknown to the residents of Gryffindor for days to come.

* * *

At The Palace

"Careful, now."

"Don't worry, we have done this a time too many."

"That does not pacify me. What if the rope snaps?"

"You seem to have a lot of faith in us."

"Enough with the chatting," Sirius hissed, his eyes squinting against the glare of the sun as he stood with Remus, ensuring their friend reached the princess's balcony safely. Beside them lay the bulky unconscious figures of five palace guards, skillfully knocked out without any commotion.

James ignored the comment directed at him as he finally hauled himself over the balcony. His heart was suddenly in his mouth. "Is she inside?"

"You bet," Dora smirked. Then turning serious, added, "It will be difficult, James. She—Lily's resolute. _Too_ resolute. You'll have to be careful."

James frowned. "I know."

"Alright, let me just make sure no one's going to enter the room," Dora nodded at him, briskly walking inside and, after a quick, fleeting smile at Lily, exited the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. The silence which was left behind was too palpable, too unfamiliar, and seemed to stretch on for infinity.

James gulped, steeling himself, and entered the room. His eyes did not linger on the expanse of the royal bedroom, the decorations which spoke volumes of the riches in the palace, the intricate details that were probably priceless. No, he did not spare any of those things a single glance, as he might have done at an earlier time. Instead, his hazel orbs were fixated on the unmoving figure of Princess Lily Catherine Evans.

She was frozen. Her limbs wouldn't move, her mouth wouldn't open, and her mind was numb. Her eyes, though, her _eyes_ couldn't get enough.

He was here. _James_ was here.

She knew it was futile—whatever they were trying to do. But she also knew that those few moments could very well be her last ones with him. And so Lily allowed herself to be selfish for just a little longer. She drank him in. His strong frame, honest eyes, and brave, _brave_ demeanor. No, her eyes could never get enough of him.

But he _had_ to know. "It's too late, James." Lily whispered.

"No it's not," He answered, his gaze unrelenting. "Don't you see? I'm in love with you. I cannot _let_ it be 'too late'"

A single tear rolled down her cheek. It was the most painful thing she had ever heard.

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	21. Mendacity

** Deception and Disguise **

**Mendacity**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

"You must leave, James." Lily choked, pretending like she hadn't heard him. _I'm in love with you._ "Coming here was a mistake. Riddle may have spared you once, but he won't do it again." Her hands were shaking still, and speaking around the lodge in her throat was excruciating.

James seemed no better off. "Lily, you—" he stared at her disbelievingly, _hurt_. "You heard what I said. You couldn't possibly ask me to leave." He walked towards her with purposeful strides, much to the princess's horror. Or was it relief? "I know how you feel about me. Don't even bother denying it." James said, his voice cracking on the last word as his hand came to rest on her cheek.

Gentle. So _so_ gentle.

Lily couldn't help it. A sob broke out from her. "I have to, James," she shook her head, auburn strands falling over her face as she looked down to hide her defeated eyes. "Riddle will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And what he wants…I—I cannot let him take it. Under any circumstances."

Her resolve strengthened with every word, and she covered James's hand with her own, finally looking up at him despite the tears that shone in her eyes. "Yes. I do love you, James," Lily admitted, and her heart might have cracked a little inside her chest. "I have for quite some time now. But I owe this to my father. I owe this to the _kingdom_. I cannot let Riddle take away even a single life anymore."

She knew hope was nothing but a flickering flame on verge of being extinguished. Not while that will remained a secret. Not while she was still surrounded by such narrow-minded royalty. Not while she was still related to that _monster._ Not while he still ruled over her, and the kingdom.

Lily had to pick her poison. And she knew exactly which one would taste less bitter.

The Marauder simply stared at her for a few heartbeats before dropping to his knees in front of her. His callused fingers intertwined with the princess's, and Lily mutely stared at the contrast of his tan skin against her porcelain white. It seemed like the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. "And what about me?" James whispered, drawing her attention back to him.

Lily clenched her teeth at the sight of those tears in his eyes. _What had she done?!_

"If you give yourself away," He continued, hazel orbs latched to green, "what makes you think that you'll be saving my life?"

Lily shook her head, silent sobs wracking through her body now. "James, _please_ —"

"You might as well take away my life."

Lily wrenched her hands away to cover her overflowing tears. "You don't understand!" she cried, "He'll _kill_ you. And I-I…don't have the strength to watch that happen."

"It doesn't have to be that way!" James replied, anguish coating his voice. His hands rose to her shoulders as he stood, warm and firm, yet comforting and strong. "We can do this together, Lily. We can defeat him. Come with me—"

"No," she shook her head, rising along with him. "I cannot run away again. I cannot. Because this time, his wrath will not be just towards me; the whole kingdom will suffer. And I cannot walk away knowing that…knowing that I was responsible for it."

The princess looked up at him then. _Really_ looked at him. And his expression was just as fierce as the first time she'd met him in that dingy alley. His piercing stare struck her just the way it had that first time. His hands just as callused, and his hair just as messy.

But things were different now.

His eyes held the promise of years and the sorrow of thousands. There was no smirk to his lips, rather a solemn downturn that Lily hated hated _hated_. His gaze did not carry any arrogance or smugness; rather it shone something so deep, so _overwhelming_ , that all Lily could think of was reaching up and placing her mouth on his.

And when the pressure of his fingers on her shoulders increased ever so slightly, she did.

 _No_ , Lily decided then, _this was not the man from the alley._ This was the man she was in love with.

James could only stare at the princess as she spoke of things he could have never imagined any royalty to be capable of. How could he have ever doubted her? It made him sick to his stomach to think what she had gone through, what that _snake_ had put her through. His fingers unwittingly increased their pressure on Lily's shoulders in his anger.

And that was all James could do before he felt her lips on his.

The kiss was nothing and everything like he'd imagined. In all of the second that it took James to realize what had happened, his fingers on Lily's shoulders had already gone slack, and were impulsively wrapping around her waist to pull her closer.

Her lips were soft and smooth, and he could taste the saltiness of her tears on them. There was no fierceness; only a sadness which spoke tales about the story that could have been, about the love that they could have had. Lily's hand rose up to frame one of his cheeks as she tilted her head and deepened the kiss. It felt _so_ perfect that it didn't seem fair to her. Didn't seem fair that it would be wrenched away from her so ruthlessly.

So the marauder and the princess just stood there, unwilling to let go of the moment. Because once they did, they knew things could never be the same.

"What are you doing outside, girl?"

The cold voice broke through Lily's senses all too soon, immediately sending shivers down her spine. She looked up with big, devastated eyes at James. "It's him! He's here, you have to go!" She whispered frantically.

"I…uh…the princess said she needed some time to _change_." Came Dora's fumbled voice, getting unnaturally loud on the last word.

Lily understood the signal; any moment the doors to the royal chambers could swing open. Panic swelled in her heart as she looked back at the man in front of her. This wonderful _wonderful_ man. "I'm sorry, James, but you have to go! _Please._ "

"And what about you?!" The marauder shot back with frustration.

And for a second, the Princess' lips curved into the saddest of smiles. "Don't worry, I will not let the kingdom fall into the wrong hands again. And I won't marry Prince Lucius either." She said, her hand already guiding James back towards the balcony.

Some distant part of her knew that Sirius and Remus were there, just beneath her balcony. And she only needed to look down to see them again. That cocky smile, and that calm, soothing demeanor; oh how she longed for just a glance at those men. At her brothers. But she couldn't.

Not now. Not ever again.

"Lily—" James breathed, his voice a mixture of pure agony and defeat.

"Go! Now!" She cut him off with a sob, covering her face with her hands as the tears leaked down her already stained cheeks.

And that was exactly when she heard the doors to the bedroom being thrown open.

* * *

A Few Minutes Ago

The King made his way down the corridors, his lips pulled back into a vicious smile and his fingers playing on the hilt of his sword. It was finally time for his long-awaited dream to come true. Just a few more hours and everything would be his forever. No one would question him or dare to speak against him. He would be the new law, the new justice and the new word of God.

Just 20 hours more and that wretched brat would be married off, and it would not matter that she would come of age. For once the kingdom was his, hers would be the first head he would see decapitated.

If it weren't for that filthy brother and that will of his, he wouldn't have had to endure her whims and fancies at all. She would have gone along with her father like she ought to have, Riddle thought with a sneer.

But no matter, he decided, cape billowing behind him as he reached towards the princess' room, it would all be gone for good soon enough.

His sneer soon turned into disgust at the site of the new maid that was hired in the morning. "What are you doing outside, girl?" He asked, a suspicious tint to his cold voice.

The girl fidgeted with her robes, eyes skirting all over the place and not meeting his as she struggled for a reply. "I…uh…the princess said she needed some time to _change_." She squeaked on the last word, increasing the King's disgust. It wasn't exactly rare for commoners to be distressed around his presence, but Riddle knew mendacity when he saw it.

"Step aside. I need to speak to the Princess."

"B-but, your Majesty," She stammered.

"You _dare_ try to speak against me?" Riddle seethed, his voice nothing short of lethal.

A drop of sweat trickled down Dora's forehead and she gulped. "N-no, you Majesty," she bowed, her hands trembling as she reached towards the door slowly.

Riddle bore a disgusted smile on his face as he swiftly pushed the girl out of his way. It was far too suspicious, and he could not afford another mishap. No, not when he was so close. Not when she would come of age the next day. He had to be rid of this nuisance. _Had to._

His agitation got the best of him as he angrily pushed open the doors, loud enough for the heavy metal to strike the chamber walls.

Those slits of black, depth-less eyes widened at the sight before him.

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	22. Mettle with Madness

**Deception and Disguise**

**Mettle with Madness**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

* * *

Lily gasped, the breath catching in her throat with terror even as the Marauder disappeared before her eyes, his presence nothing but a beautiful dream now.

 _Please don't have seen him,_ her heart screamed.

"Planning to run away again, now, are we?" She heard that voice of ice chill her bones, and willed her feet to finally unglue from their spot as she turned around and faced the king.

Lily gulped. _Please don't have seen him._

Not deigning to answer his question, she simply stared at the man, at his feeling-less, cruel eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat when Riddle started walking towards her, towards the balcony with purposeful strides. Her fingers shook, and she fisted her hands against the brown breeches she still wore, having been preoccupied with the discovery of her new maid to change into fresh clothes.

_Please don't have seen him_

"I was half expecting to find those filthy vermin here," Riddle spat, looking down towards the garden. Lily felt as if someone had doused her with water, and refrained from letting out a breath of relief. "Or at least a rope for your escape."

She stood motionless.

The king walked back to face her. "You never did tell me how you managed to escape that night; how you and that weak maid of yours got it into your tiny little brains to fool my guards." He sneered.

"You'd be surprised at how little effort that took," Lily deadpanned, then looked up at the man with sudden rage boiling, her skin flushed red, " _What_ do you want now, Riddle?"

The king's expression twisted into one of toe-curling disgust. "You will do well not to speak to me like that," he whispered cruelly. "Your marriage will be the happiest hour of my life, as unbelievable as it sounds, I am sure. And I will not have you ruin anything with your scheming and planning, as useless as it may be. Is that understood, _princess_?"

Lily held his stare. "Absolutely, Your Highness."

Riddle scoffed, and then wrapped his finger around one of Lily's auburn strands. She didn't even flinch. "You are filthy," he said, and the princess wondered whether he meant her hygiene at the moment or her existence. Probably both. "I see you have evidently not had enough time to change from those atrocious clothes."

Lily simply gave him a mirthless smile.

"You girl!" Riddle barked, and Dora jumped from her spot as if she'd forgotten she'd even been there. Lily knew that feeling all too well. "I want the princess to be cleaned up and into her bridal dress by sunrise tomorrow morning. And if you fail at your job…" Riddle smiled, not looking away from Lily, knowing all too well that it was as much of a threat for Dora as it was for her.

Riddle then turned on his feet, his cape billowing as it was prone to do, and stalked towards the doors. Dora, her eyes cast downwards as she bowed, noticed an inconspicuous piece of parchment peeking out from the pocket of his cloak.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion even as the king walked by her without another glance back.

* * *

Nymphadora Tonks was a woman of many talents. What remained a secret to both her family and the marauders alike however, was that apart from acting, dancing, singing, and all those talents that a woman like her possessed, she was also very good at fooling people.

And stealing.

For all her disguise as a meek and downtrodden maid, Dora was anything but.

And she kept telling herself all of these things as she quietly crept into the king's royal chambers that night. _It's all or nothing_ , she thought. And it was indeed. For Dora knew that if the king, or any of his guards were to catch her, not only would it be the end for her, but for the whole kingdom of Gryffindor as she came to know it.

 _I must be insane_ , she thought, noiselessly shutting the doors of the chamber as she mentally scoffed at the two giant figures slumbering deeply outside.

So much for royal guards.

But this is where it got difficult. And Dora understood the true severity of what she was about to do when she turned around and faced the sleeping king, his entire being shadowed in darkness even as the moonlight poured in from the massive windows that looked out over the kingdom.

Oh god, oh god, oh _god_.

Dora gulped, the sound of her beating heart so loud in her ears that she was surprised Riddle's blade wasn't already at her throat. But no, she reassured herself as she saw the ruthless sword leaning against the king's bed, the shine of its blade looking about as innocent as the king himself. "Okay," she whispered softly, steeling herself, and started looking around the room for the cloak.

For that parchment.

She found it soon enough, her eyes narrowing on the expanse of black cloth, hanging on the cloak stand that stood beside the vanity. Dora tiptoed her way towards it, lifting her skirts to avoid even the sound of cloth scraping against the marble floor. She knew she was being paranoid as she took a sideways glance at the sleeping figure of the king, but her situation certainly called for paranoia.

And she could not afford to take any more risks than she already was.

She reached one slender hand into the pocket of the cloak, and closed her eyes. She cursed softly under her breath.

Of course it wouldn't be this easy.

The parchment wasn't there.

But this only alleviated her suspicions. She knew Riddle wouldn't bother carrying around a meaningless piece of paper around with him like that unless it meant something colossal. And the fact that he was keeping it so carefully hidden could mean only one thing; nothing good would come out of it for anyone in the kingdom.

Dora, having expected such a situation to greet her, immediately started scanning the bedroom again, her eyes passing over the lavishness of its details, the unnecessary luxuries, until it came and landed on the slumbering man. The rage in her veins and the bile that rose to her throat when she thought about all those poor families living out there with the bare minimum while this man slept on their money surprised even Dora herself.

How easy it would be, she contemplated, to just pick up that damned sword and end the root of all evil right then and there. The girl sighed softly. She knew that as passionate and brave as she was, she was still no match for royalty; and especially no match for Riddle, who'd honed his skills at assassination too well over the years.

Dora had been so preoccupied in her thoughts that when her eyes finally caught on the tint of yellowing parchment, she all but gasped out loud in surprise, catching herself at the last moment.

Her heart beat madly in her chest. _There it is_ , it rejoiced.

But Dora's fingers shook as she saw how precariously close it was to the king's face, lying peacefully under the silk covered pillow that he lay on.

Oh, Godric save her now.

Knowing that if she backed out now, it would all be for naught, Dora tiptoed ahead, her feet as light as feathers on the ground until she stood close enough to make out the king's face as he slept.

Her nose scrunched in disgust.

Riddle's pale skin stretched thin over his bones, his thin, bloodless lips and serpentine features certainly looked like something out of a nightmare. It made her want to retch. Instead, Dora shoved her revolt aside and slowly edged her hand towards the pillow.

If she'd been paranoid before, her fear had reached the stage of hysteria now, for every millisecond seemed like an eternity even as her fingers found themselves wrapping around that parchment. At the same moment, Dora reached into the bustier under her dress and pulled out an identical sheet with gibberish scrolled into it as a duplicate. If anything, it could buy them all precious moments before the king lost his temper.

 _Too loud!_ Her brain yelled as the paper crackled ever so slightly under the pressure, and her breath hitched.

However, Riddle barely stirred, just a small crease forming between his brows before it smoothed out again. The girl could have sobbed with relief. She turned to flee from the room when the skirt of her dress brushed the sword with her movement.

Damn the world.

Her eyes grew impossibly large at the same instant, realizing what was to happen even before the sword fell to the floor.

Even before the noise shattered the quiet of the room.

She was dead meat, Dora prophesied, her reflexes sending her straight to the floor and rolling under the king's bed without wasting a single second. That _had_ to have woken him up. Oh dear god, what had she gotten herself into?! She sent up a stream of soundless prayers to all and any heavenly being willing to listen to her.

She didn't want to die before telling Remus how much he meant to her. Not before marrying him and having his babies.

It was too soon for her to die, Dora thought, a drop of tear leaking out of her eye as she lay on the cold floor and heard the bed move above her.

The ominous landing of the king's feet on the floor was nothing short of a nightmare to the girl. Any moment now, and he would pull her out by her hair, or cryptically ask her to come out herself. Or maybe he would simply strike her with the same sword that lay on the floor, leaving her to bleed out until she was dead.

The possibilities were endless, none better than the one following it.

And yet, Riddle was surely taking his time, Dora realized, her heart daring to flutter with hope in her chest. Maybe he hadn't noticed her, she thought, her hand flying to her mouth to hold in her relief even as she lay pressed against the floor, her heated skin a stark contrast to the mockingly cold marble.

Her hopes turned to ashes, however, when she realized he would see her as soon as he bent down to pick up the sword. It was only a matter of seconds.

But the gods were certainly on her side, she decided with a gulp, when a sickly pale white hand simply reached down and grabbed the sword.

He hadn't bent down. He didn't see her. She was safe. She wasn't dead. Not yet.

Dora kept repeating the same reassurances to herself inwardly, crying tears of relief, albeit silently. She heard the crumple of paper above her, and knew that Riddle was checking to see if the parchment was still there. She hoped he'd be too groggy eyed to sit and read what was scribbled on it only to find a list of groceries. Her heart hammered against her ribs as if it had had enough adventure for one night, and did not want to face anymore of this madness.

Dora agreed. Neither did she.

But by the grace of all that was good and pure, Riddle seemed satisfied enough with its presence to put the parchment back to its place. His feet hit the floor once more and Dora didn't dare breathe.

Did he find out it was fake?

No, she realized, gulping, as she saw the king make his way around the bed into the royal bathroom.

The girl lay on the floor for two more heartbeats before rolling herself out, needing no one to tell her that this was it. This was her only chance of escape. Even as she saw that wretched sword now lying on the bed, she knew that luck had been too generous to her as it was, and she didn't feel particularly inclined to try it a few more times.

So within the next few minutes, Nymphadora Tonks was scurrying out of the room, and into the streets of Gryffindor, unbeknownst to the king, his foolishly slumbering guards or the princess who lay awake on the cold sheets of her room.

* * *

When they heard the loud banging against their front door, all three Marauders were up on their feet, daggers and knives poised in hand, all pretenses of being asleep thrown away.

Not that any of them were expecting to get much sleep anyway.

James had morosely narrated everything that he spoke about to Lily, leaving out the parts where they confessed their love to each other, though he knew Remus and Sirius could have guessed as much without him needing to say it.

"Don't you worry, mate," Sirius had said, "We'll do something; we'll save her."

And although James wanted to believe his best friend, he also knew that so far they had come up with empty hands; no plans at all. He couldn't believe that despite all those years of thievery, scheming and planning, the Marauders would be stumped by something like this, be stumped by Riddle and his monstrosity.

His nerves had already been on edge the entire day, so when he opened the door to find a harrowed looking Dora standing outside, her breathing hurried, James immediately sensed something was wrong. "Come in," he pulled her inside, knowing what she had to say was not for everyone to hear.

"I found something you might be interested in," Dora whispered once she'd caught her breath, looking up at all three men, and finding a type of comfort she was not used to. Her blood was still heated from all the adrenaline. "It's a will."

"A will?" Remus frowned. "Whose will?"

"King Charles Henry Evans III?" Sirius read over Dora's shoulder as she unrolled the parchment.

James' eyes immediately widened with realization and he took the will from Dora's hands. "It's Lily's father," he whispered by way of explanation, although Sirius' question had been rhetorical. The whole kingdom had known of King Charles and his humility, how their lives had thrived before he had died in an unfortunate accident.

Or that's what everyone said.

The Marauders had always known and insisted that it had been cold blooded murder by his cousin, and now, reading the will, James knew they had been right all along.

He ran his hands through his already messy hair, the parchment now passed on to Remus and Sirius. "Holy shit," he cursed, shaking his head, trying to process the sudden onslaught of information.

"This," Remus breathed, looking up at Dora, "Where did you get this?"

Dora gave him a sheepish smile. "Well I don't really want to get into the details of it, but it involved some stealing and a lot of sneaking around."

"You stole this?" Remus looked torn between being worried and impressed, "Stole it from whom?"

"Riddle," she coughed.

"Holy f—" Sirius stared at her, awe-struck. "You mean, right now?"

"Yes, right now."

Sirius blew a low whistle. "Remus, mate, if you don't kiss her right now, I might." And much to his delight, both Remus and Dora turned brilliant shades of red, bright enough to give Lily's hair a run for its money.

"You will do no such thing," Remus said firmly, although his flaming face simply made Dora giggle and sent Sirius on a bout of cackling. Ignoring them, and needing a much needed change of topic, the Marauder looked toward his third companion, looking desolate enough to change the mood in the room once again.

"James," Remus walked towards him, "What's wrong? Don't you see? This changes everything. We can save Lily now!"

"Yeah," Sirius cheered. "All we have to do is show this will to everyone, and postpone the marriage till Lily dearest turns of age."

"That's easier said than done," Dora frowned, "We don't know when Lily turns of age, and the wedding takes place at seven in the morning today. Moreover, getting into the palace won't be as easy as it was the last time; Riddle will make sure the ceremony is well guarded to prevent anything going wrong again."

"You underestimate us, love," Sirius smirked, draping an arm over her shoulder, and Dora saw that Remus joined in on that smug look. "We are the Marauders. And helping our princess calls for our best performance till date."

Dora found her nerves shrinking away under their confidence, and nodded. They could do this.

"It might be too late."

James' desperate voice suddenly cut across the room as he stood up, pacing with such a panicked look in his eyes that it suddenly made Dora incredibly uneasy. Even Sirius and Remus seemed taken aback. "James, we can—"

"No _no!_ " He cut across Remus, "You don't understand." He looked up, and all three of them were shocked to find tears brimming in the man's hazel eyes. "Lily—she said something to me. She promised me that she would neither let the kingdom fall into the wrong hands nor marry Lucius."

"What does that have to do with this?" Remus said, voicing all their thoughts.

"She—I think she already knows about this will," James clutched at his hair in frustration and punched the wall beside him, making Dora jump. "She knows about it, and she plans on saving everyone but herself." He gulped.

"James," Sirius whispered, his voice uncharacteristically solemn. "Be clear, mate."

"The only other thing there is to do," James gritted out in answer, "The only thing to ensure that all of Riddle's plans fail."

An eerie sort of silence settled over the house then. It was as if all the life had been sucked out from the air, leaving the shells of four human beings behind. No one said a word for what felt like ages, but must have been only a few seconds. James finally found it in himself to move from his position, and looked back at the others again, the spark from his eyes extinguished and replaced with a heartbreaking fear.

"She's going to kill herself."

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	23. The Bride

**Deception and Disguise**

**The Bride**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

It was when she lurched into a sitting position, panting heavily, that Lily realized she had been asleep. It came as a shock to the princess then, for she was sure she had been awake for as long as she could remember. Her dry cheeks, parched lips and the hollowness in her chest let her know that she was right. It was only out of utter exhaustion that she had finally lost consciousness.

And it had been a relief; those few hours where she hadn't had to feel anything. Remember anything.

And then the nightmare had begun.

There was blood everywhere, shouts and moans of pain filling the air. She had been running away, Riddle on her heel as he followed her, slashing and cutting everyone in his path who tried to save Lily. She wanted, _begged_ people to stay away from her, but they were all risking their lives and dying, one by one. Her face and hands were coated in blood too; not her own, which was the worst part. And then came the truly frightening bit when it was James who stood before her, promising to keep her safe from Riddle. It didn't seem to matter though. The king had simply swung his sword and brought it down again…

Well, that's where her mind—as morbid as it was—had had enough.

Lily still breathed hard, aching for those moments of numbness where she had been asleep— _dreamlessly_ asleep. But now there was no way to reign in the feelings that threatened to push her over the precipice.

Lily took in a shuddering breath, the voice harsh and grating against her ears. She did not recognize it as her own.

It was still slightly dark outside. It could not have been past five in the morning. She had to get on with it. Another two hours, and she was expected to walk down the aisle and be handed over like a broodmare to that pathetic excuse for a prince.

Lily wanted to hurl.

Slowly, her eyes moved to the foot of the bed and snagged onto the neatly folded garment that sat there on the mattress. Her breath hitched in her throat. It was blindingly white; she could make out hints of lace and intricate designs running on the cloth. The material looked soft, comfortable and heart-breakingly beautiful. It was clearly crafted by someone very talented. And by someone who was surely being grossly underpaid for the job, if they were being paid at all.

A bitter smile pulled at Lily's lips. For something that looked so pure and good, it was funny how it was meant for a day that was decidedly _impure._

Dora must have left it on her bed the night before, Lily decided. She couldn't be sure, of course. She was barely able to notice her surroundings last night—even now. None of it mattered now anyway; what people said, what they thought, much less what the _royalty_ thought. It would all end soon.

She didn't, however, want to cause any unnecessary problems for Dora. And the king's threat still rang too clear in her ears for her to disobey him and show acts of rebelliousness during her last hours. Lily smiled at that. She would leave him with enough to agonize over as it was.

With that thought in mind, the princess collected the soft fabric in her arms and left the confines of her room to go change into the ominous wedding gown.

* * *

Lily stood in front of the full length mirror of her bedroom, staring at the reflection unfeelingly. It was worse than she'd expected.

Not the dress, of course, the irony. That was what was worse.

The dress was too perfect on her. It hugged her waist at exactly the right place, the neckline deep enough to be both modest and alluring. The gown flowed out magnanimously behind her in a long trail. The white color was sharp against Lily's cream-colored skin, bringing out the vibrant red of her hair and lips, and her green eyes, too clearly. She supposed she should have felt beautiful in it.

But she didn't. Her face—the sallow expression and dead eyes—felt too wrong with the dress.

She felt disgusted and breakable. She hated how much power Riddle had over her.

Her eyes then shifted to the small vial that rested on the palm of her hand. It was a clear liquid, meant to finish the job quickly and efficiently. Lily had procured it from Riddle's own stash and hidden it carefully amongst her clothes. She was certain he would never find it missing; he had an abundance of poisonous drinks to take care of his enemies. It was ironical then, Lily found herself thinking bitterly, that the poison would serve its purpose only too well, eliminating his biggest enemy to the throne forever.

She wrapped her fingers around the cool glass and dropped it inside her dress. She had to make sure her death was publicly stunted. There was no way Riddle would forfeit his claim to the throne if he had even the smallest of openings to lie about her death.

It would all end soon, Lily reminded herself again with a deep breath.

Suddenly there was pounding on the doors of the royal chamber. Furious beats that sounded like they would break down the entire thing.

And before Lily could even move from her spot, let alone open the doors, they flew open with a loud bang and ricocheted back from the wall. Riddle had already barged into the room by that time though, his black cape a force of terror and his face twisted into an expression of such wrath that Lily might have once cowered back in fear from it.

Not anymore though.

She simply stared back at him blankly as the king practically seethed at her.

" _Where is it?_ " Riddle snarled, eyes unforgiving and icy. He didn't even seem to notice her dress, not that Lily had anything to complain about that.

The princess had no idea what he meant though. She didn't let it faze her in the least. "Where is what?"

"Oh, don't you dare pretend, girl."

"I don't have the time for this," she stared at him. "So either you tell me what you want, or leave now."

Riddle hissed, and Lily was certain if it had been anyone but her—if the king's hands had not been tied—her head would have been rolling on the floor by now, separated from the rest of the body. "You know _exactly_ what I mean. Where's the _will_?"

That caught Lily's attention. For the first time since he'd walked in, she allowed some emotion to creep into her face. Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion at his words. _The will?_ She thought. _Father's will?_

And then, a mocking, bitter smile ran across her face. "Misplaced it, have you?"

So fast that she couldn't even see, couldn't even prepare herself for it, Lily felt hard, cold fingers squeezing her throat. "Don't try to play games with me child," Riddle whispered menacingly, his face so monstrous that Lily had nothing hideous enough to compare it to. "I have had enough of your trickery. And I'm running out of patience now. You _will_ give it back to me."

Lily struggled to breathe, clawing at the hand that was wrapped around her neck to no avail. She started using her legs then, pushing against Riddle with all her might until his hand slipped. She wheezed, taking in huge gulps of air as she choked out, "I…don't…have it!"

Her head was pounding, the aching throb in her chest growing unbearable by the second. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take this. The sooner it was over, the better.

She was no fool. If the will was lost, good riddance; Lily wouldn't have to face the consequences of her father's kindness. But that didn't mean that she was naïve enough to believe Riddle would spare her or the rest of Gryffindor if he wasn't able to find it. It tied him as much as it liberated him.

It was the only thing that would allow Lily to gain an advantage over him, but it was the only proof he had of his right to the throne.

If he didn't find it, and if Lily didn't marry, she had no doubt Riddle would kill the Marauders just to spite her. She didn't doubt his power to do so. And then the throne, the power, the kingdom, nothing would be enough to salvage her life. She wouldn't care if Riddle fell to his knees after that. Everything she knew and loved would cease to exist.

It seemed Riddle had been thinking along the same lines as well while she got her breathing under control. "I suppose your _clever_ plans don't matter much anymore. I will see to it, dear niece." He sneered, gaining back his cool hostility somewhat.

Lily remained unspeaking.

This didn't leave the princess with much choice. She had already made her decision. She just had to execute it now. If all went according to plan, Riddle would lose all his riches in a heartbeat, and consequently all his power as well. And with no one to help him then, Gryffindor would earn back all its possessions. They could elect a new leader. Someone they trusted.

She almost knew it in her bones who it would be. And for the first time since she'd left Godric's Hollow, Lily felt joy greet her heart.

She did feel curious enough to wonder about the will though. Either Riddle _had_ honestly misplaced it—something that was very unlikely—or someone was actually stupid enough to steal it from him. She couldn't, however, think of anyone. The only people who _could_ have stolen it definitely did not enter the castle—Lily would have known if they had by now—and they didn't even know such a will existed in the first place.

So as unlikely as it was, she leaned on the former. It didn't bother her anymore. Will or no will, her fate was to be the same.

"The wedding will begin in a few hours," Riddle went on, unaware of Lily's musings, a disgusted sneer on his thin lips as he looked down at her. "I do hope you will behave, girl. It would be a pity if I had to kill anyone—especially those little thieves you have been whoring around with."

The princess flinched, hating herself for showing how those words truly affected her. How the thought of the commoners being hurt—the _Marauders_ being hurt—was too painful to even consider. Especially after that horrid nightmare, the king's words ran too close to home for her liking. Riddle smiled, satisfied with her reaction. "I'm glad you understand."

He started leaving the room then, and Lily almost returned back to her catatonic state. Suddenly, the king stopped, his eyes narrowed into black slits. Suspicious. "Where is the new girl? The maid?" He asked, finally seeming to notice Lily's attire.

The question caught the princess off guard. "What?"

"Where _is_ she?" Riddle hissed. And ever so slowly, Lily could see where his train of thought was taking him.

_Oh dear lord, she wouldn't._

Lily gulped, praying that whatever she had just thought of—what Riddle undoubtedly suspected—was far, _far_ from the truth. She could not, would not, be able to bear it if any more of her friends got hurt because of her. She really wished Dora hadn't been foolish enough to do the unthinkable. Although how she could have known of the will—let alone _stolen_ it, was a mystery in itself. It was only logical therefore, that the deduction both the king and Lily were coming up with was completely off the mark.

But the nervous bundle of knots in Lily's gut wasn't able to listen to logic as much she would have liked.

"I—I don't know. She is probably just in the kitchen, fetching me food."

Riddle smiled, a cruel, ugly thing. "I somehow doubt that, princess."

"Wait!" Lily hurried, her voice resonating sudden panic as Riddle turned around to leave. She didn't want to consider it, but if what she thought was right, she had to at least _try_ to buy her friend some time. "No, I distinctly remember she went to meet her family. She should be back anytime now."

"Is that so?" Riddle said, not deigning her excuse important enough to even turn back around. "We should not take any chances, irrespective."

She didn't know what to answer, her mind going into overdrive as Lily watched Riddle call for one of his burly guards. The humongous man walked over immediately, bowing down deep at the waist, and Lily felt an intense urge to push him the rest of the way to the floor herself.

"Mulciber," Riddle's high voice was bored, "Did you see the princess's maid enter the palace?"

The man looked up, his eyes flying momentarily to Lily and widening at her appearance. Then they immediately returned back to the floor. "No, Your Majesty."

Lily grimaced.

"Pity," Riddle drawled. "Make yourself useful and bring her to me when you find her, would you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And I suppose we would need to… _check_ her thoroughly. You see, a precious belonging of mine has gone missing. And the timing is just too convenient. I would not want to take any chances," Riddle continued, his voice ruthless.

Mulciber snickered at that, much to Lily's disgust. She wanted to rip out his throat. And maybe gouge out Riddle's eyes while she was at it. She forced down the bile that rose up to her mouth at the thought of what Riddle was planning to do with Dora.

Just then, as if on cue, a head of brown curly hair rounded the corner and towards the open bedroom. _Dora_. Lily's heart beat frantically, wanting to somehow warn her friend without giving away her presence to Riddle and Mulciber. It was only after she let herself observe the girl for a heartbeat longer that she noticed the large tray of food she carried.

Lily could have wept with relief.

Dora hadn't gone anywhere.

She didn't steal the will.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Dora's light, soft voice caught the attention of Riddle. The king, albeit slightly surprised, still bore his expression of malice at the sight of the girl. This was better, Lily observed, in contrast to Mulciber, whose expression looked nothing short of ravenous as he leered at Dora. "I apologize if I'm intruding on something."

"It's your job to watch the princess, girl." Riddle drawled. "Where have you been?"

"Just fetching food from the kitchens, Your Majesty," she replied without missing a beat. Lily blinked. Something seemed…different. "The princess was sleeping so I just thought to prepare something for her before the wedding. It is a big day after all…"

Lie. It was an outright _lie_.

Dora would never go to the trouble of doing something so casual when she knew how miserable this was for Lily. For all of them. She could not expect Lily to indulge in grand _meals_ right now.

Lily tried to catch the girls eye, but it seemed Dora was purposely trying to not let that happen.

Yes, something was going on, and she wanted to know what exactly it was.

Riddle's suspicions, however, were not even close to being eliminated. "Mulciber, check her." He ordered, much to Lily's horror. Even Dora's eyes widened at that.

"For what—"

"Hold still," Mulciber sneered, advancing towards the girl. It was at that moment that Lily truly noticed just how petite Dora was. Mulciber's hands on her…the thought of it made the princess shudder, and without hesitation, she boldly stepped in between them.

"Back off, I'll do it."

The guard's eyes widened at that, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Lily knew he was torn between having to listen to the princess and following through with his monstrous desires. He settled on looking at Riddle questioningly. The king simply stared back at Lily with ice cold eyes, not giving any indication of refusing her.

Lily didn't waste her chance. She simply took the tray of food off of Dora's hand and placed it on the bed before turning back to the girl. "I'm really sorry about this," she cringed, looking at the girl's large blue eyes. Lily knew she couldn't get away with being discreet in her job, and she prayed to all the Gods she could think of that Dora _really_ didn't have the will on her. She checked the girl's pockets, turning them inside out and inwardly sighing with relief on finding them empty. She checked the bodice, the corset from outside, all the while feeling horrible for the girl as she stood there with her fists clenched, her face red with embarrassment.

Lily had had enough. "She doesn't have it."

"You have yet to check _inside_." Mulciber leered. Immediately, Lily's eyes whipped to the guard, flashing and fierce with anger so strong that the man jerked back, his eyes immediately trailing to the floor.

"I'll take your word for it, girl," Riddle said in a high voice. Lily wanted to retch; she knew the king no longer believed Dora possessed the will, but was simply enjoying the distress it was causing the girl and her. She didn't think it was possible to hate the man anymore than she already did.

He kept proving her wrong with his actions time and again.

"Now that all of this is cleared up," Riddle continued, turning back to look at Mulciber, "Go to Godric's Hollow and arrest the Marauders for treason against the king and for stealing from the royal treasury."

"WHAT?" Dora screamed.

Lily couldn't have heard that right. She blinked. It was some cruel, _cruel_ joke. Maybe she was still stuck in her nightmare.

"You promised," she whispered, her entire body shaking with rage. Not again, she _couldn't_ take this again. They were safe like she had always wanted. They were safe, and she was doing everything in her power to keep it that way, and yet. And _yet_ , Riddle didn't seem to think it was enough. "You _promised_ , you foul, contemptuous _bastard_ —"

Lily didn't feel, as much as she _saw_ the hand impact her face. And then she was sprawled on the floor, her head precariously close to hitting the headboard. She felt the sting on her mouth and the metallic tang of blood on her tongue. There was a flurry of movement in her periphery as Dora helped her stand up, her face anxious. "Are you alright, Lily?"

The princess didn't answer. Her eyes only glared at the king, unrelenting and burning even as the man fought to keep his own anger in control. And although Lily noticed his fingers inching towards the sword at his waist, she did not back down. "You will not _touch_ them."

"Do you think I was born yesterday?" Riddle hissed, and his hand moved away from the sword. "I know what games the lot of you are playing, and I have had _enough_."

For once, Lily really did not know anything about these games.

"Please," she begged, and felt Dora squeeze her fingers. "Please, I'm doing everything you've asked for. What more do you _want_?"

"But, of course," Riddle continued, nonchalant, "The removal of everything that stands in my way."

The princess could no longer believe that someone so inhumane could actually exist. This _man_ —this monster—had murdered her father, taken over his throne, barricaded her inside the castle for over 10 years, killed, blackmailed and _stolen_ from his own kingdom. And it still wasn't enough for him. Not even when she was ready to give up everything she knew; everything she had foolishly dreamed of.

Lily squared her shoulders, lips pulling back from her teeth as she snarled. "Then you can _forget_ this wedding."

Riddle merely tilted his head to the side, and gave a serpentine smile. "Oh, I don't think you have any more say in that, dear niece."

"The hell, I don't," Lily shot back, eyes menacing. "You cannot force me to say the vows. Even if you drag me there and point a knife to my throat, I will _not_."

"Your Highness," Dora whispered, staring at her friend. Her palms were cold with sweat.

She was beautiful—so beautiful that words failed to describe her. That wedding gown looked like it was crafted exactly to fit Lily. _Only_ to fit Lily. As if anyone else wearing it could never do the garment any justice. There was a kind of fervor in her eyes that scared Dora. But it mesmerized the girl, too. That boldness; to be able to stand up for herself and for the entire kingdom alone, without letting anyone have even an inkling of an idea about her selflessness.

Dora was dumbfounded.

James had been right. Lily no longer had any regard for her own life.

King Tom Riddle's cruel laughter tore Dora's eyes away from the princess. And suddenly she hated that man before her more than she ever had. She had always cursed him for driving everyone in the kingdom to poverty, making them live in fear constantly. She had hated him for endangering her family, her friends, the Marauders. But now, more than ever, she _loathed_ him for crushing down Lily's sacrifice like that.

"Do not doubt that I _will_ drag you there myself, girl," The king said. "And I know that your life has no meaning to you anymore."

Lily waited. Her heart was hammering fast in her chest, as if to escape whatever was to come and inevitably shatter it.

"But I'm sure Potter's life does."

She couldn't say anything. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't go beyond the shaking that took over her body, her fingers trembling at those words. She might have had tears rolling down her face, but she couldn't be sure. This wasn't happening. Riddle couldn't possibly do this again—her biggest weakness, laid out bare before the king to taunt her as he pleased.

 _James._ James James James.

His face suddenly came into her mind then—not that it wasn't always there somewhere, lurking amongst her thoughts perennially. Those mischievous hazel eyes, the amused smile, his head of incorrigible messy hair, and the softness of his expression as he took her name…

"No. You wouldn't." Lily gasped, knowing all too well that it was _exactly_ what Riddle would do.

"Mulciber." He simply said, and the guard bowed down again before turning around and leaving. Lily didn't miss the expression of utter satisfaction on his face as he did.

"NO!" She screamed, turning on her heel and hurrying after the guard.

Only to experience blinding pain shooting through her skull as the kind yanked on her hair mercilessly.

"You're not going anywhere," he hissed in her ear as tears of pain stung Lily's eyes. Then he dragged her back into the room and slapped her hard enough to send her falling towards the bed. Lily sat up immediately, wasting no time in wondering how disastrous her face must look from being abused like that and simply started walking back out again.

This time, Riddle overtook her, shutting the door behind him as he blocked her path. The princess barely took notice of the unsheathed sword in his hand.

"It's futile, little girl," Lily heard him say in a high voice. At first she thought the words were meant for her, only to frown when she saw Dora move in the periphery of her vision. She whipped her head, finding the brown haired girl standing there with a candle holder in hand, poised to strike.

Dora's blue eyes widened, and the stiffness in her body faded as she let her hand drop to her side in defeat.

"Good thing you're sensible," Riddle continued mockingly, eyes never leaving Lily. "Now make sure the princess does not do anything foolish either. I would just _hate_ it to have to kill your family as well."

Dora gulped, her breathing hard.

Lily wanted to scream as she felt another shackle locking her into place. How could she be so helpless?! It was like Riddle knew _exactly_ which buttons to push to make her act like his puppet. And from his disgustingly satisfied expression, it seemed like he knew it too.

"Come now," he said, pressing the hilt of the sword against Lily's spine. "There's barely any time left for the wedding. The Malfoys must be waiting."

And then the princess felt her feet moving beneath her as she was ushered outside. Her throat burned, tears stained her cheeks, her hands were clutched tightly in front of her and her heart was like a monster roaring to get free. And yet, outwardly, Princess Lily Catherine Evans was little more than a shell of a human as she entered the palace courtyard.

She hardly noticed Dora sniffing silently beside her, paid no heed to Riddle's sword against her back, and the guards flanking her on either side were little more than the decorations surrounding her.

Instead, Lily's eyes immediately zeroed in on the prince standing at the altar a few meters away. His blonde hair smoothed back and shining under the sun, his attire speaking volumes about the riches of his family.

Lucius bore an unnervingly smug expression as he caught sight of the princess and leered at her. The cold vial against her chest seemed to burn her skin.

And then Lily heard the music blaring in the garden, forcing her feet forward.

Towards the prince.

And towards death.

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	24. The Wedding

**Deception and Disguise**

**The Wedding**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

Her head was spinning, the world tilting on its axis as Lily's feet moved forward on their own accord.

She knew she should've been afraid, should have been lashing out and screaming for them to release her. And yet she couldn't muster up the energy to open her mouth, let alone fight against a courtyard full of royal families.

She knew all these people; all these faces.

The Blacks and The Malfoys especially stood out in her periphery. Perpetrators in the incident that killed her father.

She still couldn't make a move.

Riddle had conspiratorially kept from inviting the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw kingdoms. It was quite evident to the princess then that the king had left no other option for her—he had even removed the only members of royalty who could have had even the slightest of objections at what was going to take place.

Lost as she was in her thoughts, all too soon, Lily found herself standing before Prince Lucius at the altar.

Riddle didn't bother with any niceties anymore. Lily knew that none of the present royalties were delusional enough to believe she had arrived here of her own free will. Her messed up hair, red blotchy eyes, bleeding lip, bruised cheekbone and stoic expression said more than enough about her _willingness._ So really, there was no need to pretend otherwise either. This marriage was a deal; one that they wanted to make sure was carried out without incident.

Lily allowed herself a small smile at that.

Incident there would be. No matter how hard the king tried for it to be otherwise.

Fleetingly, the princess caught Dora's eyes beside her and saw a small gasp escape the girl as she reached inside her dress to pull out the small vial of clear liquid in her palm.

Everything after that was little more than a blur in the courtyard.

Lily saw, rather than heard, Prince Lucius opening his mouth to say something, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the sight of the small vial. Lily paid no heed to him, however, swiftly opening the top with a small pop. She didn't even stop when she felt Riddle whirl her around by her arm. Her eyes were steady as her lips closed around the opening of the vial and she poured the liquid down her throat without a second thought.

"NO!" The king screamed, slapping away the vial from her hand desperately.

It was too late though. And Lily smiled triumphantly at the king's shocked expression.

If nothing else, she would have the satisfaction of carrying that image with her into the afterlife. Knowing that she had failed Riddle's plans, and was ultimately able to fulfill her role as a princess. She no longer had to worry about her people being tortured and killed as Riddle sat on the throne.

And then there were the Marauders.

Lily would miss them. She would miss Remus, his kind disposition, always sensible when the others weren't. Sirius—his utter mischievousness, the protective nature, and good heart. She would miss Mary, and Dora, too. The only girl friends she had ever come to know in her entire life. Their incredibly supportive nature and bravery.

And James.

Lily would miss him the most. She would miss everything they could have been. Everything they could no longer be. She had never felt more alive, more exhilarated than she had with him. He made her feel things she didn't think she ever could have. It was the biggest regret she would carry with herself; not having told him everything since the beginning. Maybe things could have been different then, she thought. Maybe, in another life, somewhere far away where she was not a Princess and Riddle was not her uncle, she could have had a future with him. She could have loved him with all her heart—and they would have had _time._

A silent tear trickled down her cheek.

Lily owed all these people her life. So that's how she was going to repay them.

While all these thoughts buzzed through her head, the princess vaguely realized that something was wrong.

Something was very, _very_ wrong.

From what she knew of the king's poison stash, Lily recalled that most of them were torturous, giving a slow, painful death to the drinker. Not just that, she realized with a start, in general, poison was supposed to taste horrifyingly bitter, burning its way down the throat as it corroded everything in the body.

And yet—she gulped, staring at the king with widening green eyes—she felt nothing. Nothing at all.

Except terror. Pure, unadulterated _terror._

King Tom Riddle himself was slightly more than confused at the slow reaction of the poison. When he'd seen the girl down the entire vial of liquid, recognizing it as one of his most vicious ones, there was no doubt in his mind that it was all over. There was no way the princess would survive such a concentrated amount of toxin. He'd all but ran his sword through the girl in his anger—regardless of the fact that she was dying anyway.

All his plans, _everything_ he had worked for—all gone in an instant.

But then she'd stayed standing, not even the smallest signs of distress on her face. Her eyes had remained as clear as ever. And it was not normal. Riddle frowned he saw her expression shift—into one of surprise.

"What—"

"You are not dying," Riddle said, relief spreading fast through his veins. He would have laughed at this reaction were it not for the fact that the girl's life was imperative for his plans to succeed. For now at least.

He smiled slowly. For whatever reason or luck, the stupid girl was alive. The poison had failed. Riddle couldn't have cared less as to the reason.

It seemed like the Gods were in his favor.

"What's going on," Lily whispered, aghast, her porcelain hand raising up and wrapping around her neck. "Why is this not—why won't…"

And then, almost suddenly, she heard the smallest of sighs.

The princess whipped her head towards the brown haired girl standing a few feet away, blue eyes looking both relieved and afraid as they stared back at her. Lily felt her stomach drop in dread. Her blood ran cold and the world slipped from under her feet even before Dora shook her head ever so slowly, and mouthed the words she didn't want to hear.

"I'm sorry."

Lily's throat was parched. She felt the room full of royalty stare at her; the whole fiasco undoubtedly an entertainment for them to discuss over tea the next day. But she didn't care about any of that. Her eyes were trained on Dora, desperate and horrified as she asked, "What did you do?"

Dora's lips were trembling, tears streaming down her face. _Gods, that had been close!_ She hugged herself around the waist, body shaking with uncontrolled sobs. James had been right. Lily had tried to kill herself. Before Dora's very eyes. And if it hadn't been for…if it hadn't been for their planning and foresight…

Dora bit her lip, not willing to delve into that train of thoughts. She looked up at the princess and inhaled a deep, shuddering breath. "That was not poison."

At the mention of that word, it was as if someone had turned up the volume in the courtyard.

"Poison?"

"Did that maid just say poison?"

"Was the princess…?"

"I _knew_ there was something off about that girl…"

Lily simply stared at Dora, not bothering to pay attention to any of the mindless chatter surrounding her. They could all believe what they wanted to, and she honestly no longer cared at all. She even ignored Prince Lucius when he caught her wrist in his hand and tried to get her to face him.

"What is that girl talking about, Princess—"

"Shut it."

Lucius breathed sharply at her reprimand, his fingers loosening around Lily's wrist out of sheer surprise. He looked up at the king then, wondering how he could _possibly_ allow such indecent behavior from the princess and why she wasn't already being punished for it. Instead, he found the king staring at the girl unblinkingly, black, depthless eyes burning with rage. The king's fingers rested on the hilt of his sword, fingers wrapping and unwrapping themselves around it, an act of indecision through and through.

Lucius was suddenly rather certain that he would not—could not—utter another word now. Looking at the king, the prince was only glad that this fury wasn't being directed at him. He was having a hard time imagining how the princess had the gall to outwardly _ignore_ the king when he was like that.

She was either very _very_ brave. Or very _very_ stupid.

" _What_ did you do?" Lily simply repeated, her question still directed at Dora.

The petite girl wiped furiously at her cheeks, the tears finally coming to an end as she stared back at the princess. She took one step forward, looking up imploringly into Lily's eyes. "It was only a matter of _finding_ your method once we had our suspicions."

 _We._ We we we.

The single word rang through Lily's head again and again. They knew. They had known. Since when? _How?!_

Dora continued, uninterrupted, "I searched around everywhere before realizing you would not want it to be conspicuous. No dagger, no sword, nothing of that sort. And then I started looking for something exactly like this—you were asleep, Lily, and I was hoping and praying that we were _wrong_. That he was wrong!" she stopped here, a sob escaping her. Quickly catching her breath again, Dora said, "It was so well hidden between your clothes that I would've never found it unless I had been _looking_ for it."

"And you were," Lily whispered, the anger and fire leaving her body in an instant. She felt…nothing. Defeated.

"Yes, I found it," Dora nodded, sniffing, "and I am _so_ glad that I did, because how could you even _think_ of doing something so irrational? Didn't you stop to think about how it would affect everyone? How it would have made _him_ —Oh Gods, it was so close. If I hadn't—if I hadn't replaced it with medicinal tonic...I can't even bear to think—"

"Tonic," Lily cut her off, a humorless sort of scoff escaping her lips. "Godric, of course!"

"While I am eternally grateful that a filthy little creature like you has prevented this auspicious occasion from ending rather abruptly," Riddle suddenly spoke up, his voice as cold as shards of ice, "I think you have said quite enough."

Lily finally tore her eyes away from Dora to stare at the king, the ever-present fear for her friends rearing its ugly head once more. The king, however, only sneered at the blue-eyed girl, no longer interested in Lily now that she was not in any danger of imminent death. "I must thank you for _graciously_ disclosing all that information without requiring any assistance. And now, you will be joining the traitors against the crown in the gallows."

Before Lily had even had time to digest the words, Riddle snapped his fingers twice. Two of his royal guards were immediately beside Dora, roughly dragging her away by her arms.

"NO!" Lily shook her head, glaring at the king with an expression of deep malice. "No! Leave her, she is innocent!"

"ENOUGH!" Riddle thundered, and the entire room quietened at the wrath in his voice. "I have had _enough_. There will be no more delays. Of _any_ kind. You are to get married this very instant!" His dark eyes then snapped up suddenly, focusing on the priest who was lurking behind in fear, the entire scene not having been anything like he had expected. "Make this quick."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty," the man croaked, looking pleadingly at Lily and Lucius to comply.

The prince simply sneered, no longer certain that he was fully aware of what he had gotten himself into, but not having enough courage to challenge Tom Riddle at this point. He looked fleetingly towards his mother, and Elizabeth Malfoy smiled charmingly at him, nodding her head encouragingly. Lucius turned back, gulping.

He hadn't missed the fear shining in her eyes either.

"If you, for a _second_ think that I'm following through with this after what you did," he heard the princess say, and found her seething to the king, "you are gravely mistaken, _uncle_."

Riddle merely smiled at her, and Lucius felt a chill run down his spine at the entirely inhumane expression.

"You will not have a choice," the king said, before suddenly turning his head towards the courtyard entrance. "Bring them in, Mulciber!"

Lily's entire body locked up at that command. _Mulciber?!_ It couldn't be. Not so—not so quick. Even if he had somehow managed to capture them, it was impossible for him to have done it _so_ quick. It couldn't be what she thought it was. There was no possible _way_ —

And yet, when Lily's eyes, on their own accord, raised up to stare at the courtyard entrance, she felt her worst nightmares come to life. Her heart stopped beating in her chest, a pained noise escaping her lips as she struggled to breathe. For there the guard was—accompanied by at least five others—lumbering towards the princess as she stood, motionless, on her spot.

She was not the only one.

The entire courtyard was ominously silent. All eyes were fixated towards the three figures being pushed and dragged forward by the guards surrounding them. Their hands were cuffed and restrained behind their backs. All three men were disguised differently—the light haired one was dressed as a chef, his face haggard. The grey eyed one, looking entirely displeased, was sporting a uniform identical to that of the royal guards'. And the most defiant one was the hazel-eyed man posing as a royalty himself, if his extravagant clothes were anything to go by.

"James," Lily whispered, her voice coming out in a whoosh of breath as she dropped to her knees at the sight of the Marauders.

They _had_ snuck in then. Despite her warnings and pleading, they had come back yet again. For her.

Lily hated herself for selfishly being glad that she was able to see them one last time.

James had heard his name; heard her voice. And immediately his eyes caught sight of her. She was on her knees at the altar, staring right at him. Something pulled inside his chest at the sight of her. Her expression was so broken. She looked so tormented. There were bruises covering her face, tears shining in her eyes, a small cut on her lip coated with dried blood.

But she was so _beautiful_.

James could not believe that he had ever considered her evil. She was good. _So_ good that this world did not deserve her goodness. She had only endured—only endured and let people hate her, even though it was never her fault. He could not even fathom the amount of suffering she must have gone through over the years as she was held captive by the king. A princess, but only for namesake.

The bright sun overhead made Lily's hair shine brilliantly, lighting up James' vision. And he vowed then—he vowed that he would no longer allow her to suffer. She was not going to be sold off like a pawn to marry that idiotic oaf of a prince.

The Marauders had a plan though. And all they needed was _time._

And a ridiculously good amount of luck on their side.

"I hope that you will be a little more…compliant now, princess?" Riddle's voice broke through the silence as he stared down at his niece. His expression shifted into a satisfied sneer as Lily looked up at him with devastated eyes.

"Why?"

"You know why," he replied to her, his voice too soft for anyone else to hear him. "You _will_ do as I desire. Or you will see them die before your very eyes."

Lily snarled impulsively, one hand reaching out as she tried to swipe at him. Riddle merely stepped back. "You'll kill them anyway!" She shrieked, tears sliding down her face.

"Yes." Riddle promised.

With a cry that was a mixture between pure anger and desolation, Lily clutched at her hair, pulling the strands out of frustration. She didn't see any way out of this—no, Riddle had _left_ no way out of this. Was there nothing she could do?! The Marauders and Dora had effectively trampled her plan to kill herself. But did they honestly expect her to stand by, unharmed, as Riddle killed _them_ before her?

She looked up again, desperate green eyes scanning the crowd before her. Lily knew it was futile—these people had no compassion, no conscience whatsoever. She did not know why she even bothered looking for any face that would be willing to help her. "Please," she choked. All those royal kings, queens, princes and princesses—they all stared back at her. Expressions ranging from disgust, amusement and loathing as they took in the scene they were observing.

Clearly none of them had been expecting _such_ a turn of events.

With shaking legs, the princess finally stood up.

Right now, in this room full of people who were against her, she didn't stand a chance.

 _They_ didn't stand a chance.

They would all be killed in the blink of an eye if Lily made even the smallest of wrong moves.

"Alright," she found herself saying, although the voice sounded far away, nothing like her own. "I'll do it. I'll marry the prince." She gulped.

"Of course, you will, you naïve child," Riddle sneered, immediately turning back to the priest. Lily supposed that despite his confident demeanor outside, the king was quite desperate to get this over with before Lily changed her mind. She didn't know how to feel about that anymore.

"Lily!" Sirius yelled, and the princess instinctively turned at the panicked note in his voice. He was staring at her fiercely, grey eyes practically smoldering. "Don't do it!"

Lily bit her lip, forcing her gaze back to the prince in front of her as another tear rolled down her face. If she hadn't felt so tortured and helpless herself, she might have laughed at the grimace on Lucius's face. He was just as thrilled about this marriage now as she was. Although she was rather certain they both had _very_ different reasons for their aversion.

"Start," she simply said, her words directed towards the priest who looked like he would have given up anything to escape the courtyard right about then.

"I—uh, yes, your highness," he bowed. He fumbled for a few seconds before starting, "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Princess Lily Catherine Evans of Gryffindor and Prince Lucius Malfoy of Slytherin in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently…"

Lily tuned out the words after that, everything turning to a buzz of nonsensical words that meant absolutely _nothing_ to her.

Instead, she sought out the hazel eyes that she knew were staring back at her. James looked at her with quiet terror on his face. She saw as his lips silently formed her name. She saw as he slowly shook his head, a deep frown on his face as he tried to compel her to step back. _Oh how she wanted to_. She wished she could run to him right then, wrap her arms around him and never leave him again. She wished it didn't have to end like this—she wished this wasn't the last time she would see him.

"…promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?"

James breathed sharply as the priest ended his speech with those words, looking expectantly at Malfoy. He knew what was coming next. What would undoubtedly break his heart into tiny splinters. And yet, all he cared about—all he wished for—was that Lily would not be foolish enough to throw her life away like that. He was more than a bit certain that once she was married off, Riddle would no longer have any qualms about killing Lily off.

He knew she realized it too.

But he was scared out of his wits that she wouldn't give a damn about it.

Prince Lucius Malfoy did not want to marry Riddle's niece. He did not want this at all. While yes, initially he had been all for this deal—because the princess was entirely too gorgeous to not be _his_ —it was no longer something he cared to gamble for. And after observing what he had for the past few minutes, Lucius was concretely able to reach only one conclusion.

King Tom Riddle was death incarnate.

If Lucius so much as dared to put _one foot_ out of line, he knew it would be over for him.

And yet, he also knew that he no longer had a say in the matter. If he were to refuse to this marriage right now, he did not expect to walk out of Gryffindor alive.

So when the priest continued to stare at him, and the seconds ticked by one after another, and Lucius caught Riddle's murderous expression directed at him, he _really_ did not have any choice.

"I-I do," he wheezed, feeling quite like he would retch right there.

The priest nodded, immediately continuing his speech again.

"Princess Lily Catherine Evans, do you take Prince Lucius Malfoy to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honor him all the days of your life?" He finished, now looking towards the princess.

But Lily still paid no attention to the ceremony. Her eyes unrelentingly focused on James— _only_ James. And although she hadn't been facing anyone else, she had heard the priest clearly enough. She knew this was it. She was expected to give her reply in the affirmative, and hand over all of Gryffindor just like that to her uncle. She saw James's terrified expression once more, his hazel eyes wide as he stared at her.

She knew the whole courtyard waited for her reply with baited breath.

She also knew what the Marauders wanted her to do. They wanted her to simply refuse—simply refuse and _let them die_ like goddamned sacrifices. She could never live with herself if she did that. Even if Lily herself wouldn't kill them, their blood would still be on her hands. She wanted to see no world like that—no world where they didn't exist.

So the princess squared her shoulders, tried to convey all her love and feelings to James as she allowed herself one last glance at him. She saw Dora, Sirius and Remus beside James, struggling and yelling—though she couldn't for the life of her discern anything properly. She gave a small, parting smile to her friends before finally turning her eyes away.

"I—"

"NOW!"

The word boomed in the air, the cry so loud that Lily stopped short at the powerful sound. With wide eyes, the princess turned back again to look at James; for it had been _his_ voice that had suddenly pierced the air. A gasp escaped her lips at the sight. Her heart was thudding something horrid against her chest, and she was no longer aware if she was still standing or not.

Somewhere, in a far less conscious part of her mind, Lily was vaguely aware that James's shout had managed to catch Riddle's attention as well. In fact, the entire courtyard full of royalty now stared at the source of the noise. But she couldn't pay attention to anyone else—to anything else.

Not when…

Not when she saw what could possibly be the entire population of Gryffindor barge in through the royal gates.

* * *

**To be continued...  
**

 

 


	25. Obliteration

**Deception and Disguise**

**Obliteration**

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

Several Hours Ago

"She's going to kill herself."

"Oh my," Dora clamped a hand to her mouth, watching James with shock.

" _Damn_ ," Sirius swore.

"We have to do something," Remus said immediately, pacing the length of the room, his brow furrowed in concentration. Dora stared at him, admiring his ability to keep a cool head when everyone else was clearly in no state to do so. "When do you reckon she will try to pull this off?" The question was directed at James.

The dark-haired Marauder was still silent, not having moved from his position near the wall. There were no more tears in his eyes, just a steely sort of determination about them. Dora could practically see the wheels turning in his head, processing Remus's question along with a thousand other scenarios.

After what seemed like an eternity, James answered.

"She knows Riddle better than any of us ever could," is what he started with, his voice hoarse. James cleared his throat. "She knows how cunning he can be. If I were Riddle, I would never want anyone to find out about Lily's… _death_ , until it was absolutely necessary."

"And she knows that," Sirius nodded, tactfully ignoring his friend's hesitation.

"So she's going to make it public," Remus nodded too, resuming his pacing. "But do you think she will—"

"I think so," Sirius huffed.

"It's most probable," James agreed solemnly.

Dora's head snapped quickly from one Marauder to the other, trying to keep up with their fast exchange. It seemed the three of them were able to almost read each other's minds, now completely giving up on verbal communication to speak using their eyes. She bit her lip and frowned.

"What are you lot on about?" Dora asked finally, tearing their attention towards her. "What is most probable?"

Remus smiled sheepishly, apologetic. "We think she is going to try to kill herself during the wedding."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say to that.

"The more people there are, the less likely Riddle is to ever cover such a thing up," Sirius added.

James released a long sigh at those words, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. He shook his head as he looked up. "That can't ever be," he decided, looking all of them hard in the eyes. "She will _not die._ "

Sirius clapped a hand to James's shoulder, smiling at him calmly. "Of course she won't. We won't let her."

James gave a curt nod.

"Yes!" Remus suddenly cheered, and Dora's heart jumped a little at the sound. She looked at the light-haired man, watching him grin from ear to ear as he stared at James and Sirius. "I have a plan."

"Finally," Sirius scoffed playfully, flicking some hair out of his eyes. "I thought you were going to take _forever_."

Dora raised an eyebrow in amusement. Remus must have taken ten minutes at most.

"Well, out with it then!" James demanded, shifting from foot to foot impatiently.

Remus nodded, holding up his hands. "If this works, I can almost guarantee that we will save her. But it will be very difficult, James. It's nothing like anything we have ever done before. _And_ we won't just be risking our lives this time."

James started at that, a hesitant look suddenly springing into his eyes. "You mean…bait?"

"No," Remus assured, and James visibly relaxed. "Not bait, but more accomplices."

"How many more?" This was Sirius.

"A whole kingdom worth of more," was the grim reply.

" _What_?" James snapped, immediately backtracking. "Are you absolutely daft, Remus? You want us to endanger the lives of all these people?"

"James," Remus sighed patiently, having clearly expected such a reaction. "It's about time we allow them to stand up for themselves."

"What codswallop," James waved a hand. "So we just go to them and say 'please accompany us to the palace, and consequently your untimely _death_ '? And they should just _listen_?"

"We're not forcing them!" Remus's voice grew louder, and Dora noticed how uncommon an occurrence it must truly have been when James shut his mouth at the tone. "They know what we've been doing all these years. They know the risk. It's their kingdom too, James! We cannot try to handle everything ourselves. This is already beyond our scope. There is no harm in asking for help."

Dora smiled at his words. She could not have put it better herself.

"He is right, mate," Sirius also agreed softly.

James ran a hand through his hair in frustration, sighing heavily again. "Fine," he acquiesced. "Fine, we will have them come with us. But _only_ on two conditions."

Remus was willing to humor him. "What conditions?"

"First—they only come if they want to. No one judges anyone for the decisions made. And _second_ ," James said, once everyone in the room had readily agreed to the first. "No one dies in there. None of the commoners. Even if I have to fight with my last breath, every last one of them makes it out of there alive."

"You can't guarantee that, mate," Remus frowned.

"I can die trying."

" _We_ can, you mean," Sirius interjected.

James's lips thinned into a displeased frown at that, not liking the idea even the slightest bit. But Sirius's no-nonsense expression let him know that this was not something he could argue about and win. So James simply grumbled something unpleasant under his breath and shook his head.

Sirius snickered.

"Dora," Remus turned to the blue-eyed girl, voice taking on a gentle tone. "You have the most important role to play today."

"Anything," Dora replied immediately, longing to offer any help that she could.

"It is just an assumption, and it could already be too late," Remus started, "But if Lily actually does intend on doing what we think she does, she must have some sort of a plan. We need you to find it, and destroy it completely. _Without_ letting her know," he said the last words slowly.

"Okay," Dora whispered uncertainly, suddenly feeling like she carried a much bigger responsibility on her shoulders than she could handle. Then she felt Remus's fingers beneath her chin, lifting her face up until she saw the warmest brown colored eyes stare down at her.

His head dipped, and he dropped a chaste kiss on her lips.

Dora's face burned when Sirius let out a whoop of delight, and she was pleased to notice that there was a pink tinge to Remus's cheeks as well. But he wisely ignored Sirius otherwise. "I trust you. You can do it."

"What exactly—"

"I'm not sure," Remus said dejectedly, reading her unspoken question. "It could be anything. She is not very predictable. But she has to _use_ something. And carrying something with her at the wedding—inconspicuous. Instantaneous."

He was mumbling to himself now, but Dora understood well enough. She had to scour the entirety of Lily's surroundings until she found what she was looking for—whatever that was.

"We only have a few hours until the wedding begins," the girl said, and Remus stopped his mutterings to look down at her seriously. "We start now," she said.

"We start now," James agreed, and the pair turned to look at him as he stuffed the will inside his boot. "You get going, Dora. If they notice you missing, there will be hell to pay."

Dora wasn't sure they hadn't already noticed her absence. But it was still too early, and she counted on the incompetency of the guards to buy her some time. "I won't let Lily do anything stupid," she promised, already halfway to the door, and feeling a lot more determined than she had a while back.

"Be careful," Remus called out, and she smiled at him over her shoulder before walking out into the darkness.

"Right," James said, his voice suddenly brimming with uncontrolled energy. "Sirius—gather some disguise for us. Three very _different_ ones. I want us to be able to cover every nook and cranny of the castle. Remus—you and I split up to gather as many citizens as are willing to come. No children, obviously."

Remus grinned, nodding, and Sirius was already out the door, bounding into the streets noiselessly.

* * *

Dora silently shut the massive doors of the royal chamber behind her as she stared at the sleeping form of the princess on the bed.

Lily's bright hair fanned across the white sheets brilliantly, her chest rising and falling with even breaths. Dora noticed that the girl's pale face was pulled into a frown, dry tears staining her otherwise flawless skin. She looked troubled even as she slept. Dora's heart went out to the poor thing. She couldn't even fathom at the amount of anguish the princess must have been feeling.

Dora sighed heavily. No matter how much pain Lily was in, she still could not be allowed to take her own life. Dora would see to it. She just thanked her lucky stars that it had still been too early for anyone in the castle to have questioned her absence.

Dora squared her shoulders determinedly and began her search.

She was not certain how long she had been on it. Lily had stirred in her sleep quite a few times in between, anguished lines contorting her features as she struggled with whatever nightmare she experienced behind her closed eyelids. Dora wanted to wake her up, if only to let the girl know that she was just dreaming. But her task at hand would not allow for it. She had to find the weapon before Lily woke up. No matter the cost.

Now, it would help if she goddamned _knew_ where and what to look for.

It was when Dora was almost at her breaking point—ready to cry out of frustration, really—that her fingers touched something cold and smooth in between freshly folded clothes. With her heart pounding strangely, Dora pulled out the drawer as much as she could and lifted the top four or five dresses. And there she found it.

A small, crystal clear vial, lying innocently on top of an ivory gown.

She saw the colorless liquid that filled the vial, and knew in her heart—in every nerve of her body—that it was anything but innocent.

Without a second thought, Dora quickly grabbed the small vial, and strode out the room purposefully.

She returned a few minutes later, the vial still full and sloshing with a clear liquid that only Dora knew was medicinal tonic. She had carefully filled it to just the correct mark, draining out the actual poison down the sink. She noticed the princess still sleeping, and allowed herself a small sigh of relief once she had tucked the vial back into its initial place amongst the clothes.

Dora then proceeded to lay out the white gown she had brought with her onto the foot of the bed. She blinked down at the dress sadly. It really was quite beautiful, and she had no doubt it would only be more so once Lily wore it. She felt disgusted—disgusted with how Riddle was _enjoying_ tormenting the poor girl. Playing it all out as if it were some real wedding—as if no one knew just how torturously he had been blackmailing his niece.

Quite suddenly, Dora couldn't stand the sight of the wedding gown anymore. In fact, she felt much like retching out the contents of her last eight meals right there. Taking a deep breath, she whirled on her feet and left the room.

Dora's feet lightly pattered on the marble floor as she headed towards the palace kitchens. Thoughts swirled in her head endlessly, each one as frustrating and uncertain as the last. Would Lily wake up and realize that the poison had been tampered with? Would she know it had been Dora? What would she do then? Would she find some other way? Did she _already have another way_?

All these questions were so diligently keeping Dora occupied that the girl didn't realize she had reached her destination until she all but barreled face-first into someone.

"Oomph," the person grunted, and Dora blinked her eyes open to see a white chef's attire in front of her face.

"I beg your pardon," she immediately said, flustered, and tried to cover up her clumsiness. "I just came down to bring some food for the princess. I wasn't looking—"

"It's no problem," the man replied with an amused tilt to his voice. Dora's blue eyes widened at the sound and she looked up to see Remus smirking down at her playfully. Well, _she_ knew it was Remus. It would have been hard for anyone else to identify him—what with his ridiculous brown mustache and mole. He even wore a chef's hat for good measure. "You can barrel into me all you want."

" _Remus_?!" Dora hissed stupidly, knowing all too well that it was him. "What—How did you get in here? What are you doing? You'll get caught!" she said. Her eyes suddenly darted around the giant kitchen, worried that someone would overhear them. But there were only two other maids there, nonchalantly cleaning up kitchen counters without even bothering to look at the pair talking in hushed voices. Dora was relieved to note that they also stood quite far away from them.

"Relax," Remus replied, his hand reaching out to playfully tug at one of her brown curls. "No one will recognize me except you. It's all part of the plan."

Dora hummed uncertainly at that. "And the others…they're here?"

"Sirius is," Remus replied. "You probably won't run into him though; he's hiding in the dungeons as a guard. James is still talking to the citizens; he'll join us later, don't worry."

Dora nodded. "How did that go, by the way? Asking for their help?"

Remus snickered, and Dora's eyebrows rose questioningly. "You'd be surprised at how much they wanted to come—James certainly was. It seems they have been feeling the need to do something for the kingdom for _quite_ some time now."

Dora allowed herself a smile at that. She didn't doubt it. "And how do you plan on actually—launching the attack, for a lack of better word?"

Remus smiled fleetingly at the phrase. "We're going to get ourselves captured."

" _What_?" She said too sharply, and one of the maids turned to look at the pair. Dora immediately picked up an apple from the fruit basket beside her and began examining it with deep concentration. Once she heard Remus chuckling in amusement, she looked back up with a frown. The maid had left. "What?" Dora asked again, more softly this time.

"Well, we won't _actually_ be captured—it will be intentional. We simply want Riddle to _think_ that he has us at his feet. I don't doubt for a second that he will use us—mainly James—to control Lily. He might already have something up his sleeve…"

Dora didn't like where this was going. "How are you going to manage that? The fake capture?" She asked in an unsure voice.

"I've already taken care of all the shackles and handcuffs in the palace," Remus waved off, as if it were no big deal. Dora gaped. How had he even _known_ where they were kept? She shook her head, realizing they were, after all, the Marauders. They rarely ever had a half-baked plan. "With the right amount of pressure, they will easily come off."

"Uhh…" Dora didn't know what else to say.

"Listen," Remus suddenly implored, his face serious. "I don't know what Riddle will throw at Lily—or you—before the wedding. But we need to keep both him and Lily unaware about any of this until the last moment. So anything you hear—any threats Riddle shoves in your face—I want you to…no I _need_ you to act exactly like you would have if you hadn't known any part of this plan. Can you do that for me?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

Dora realized what he meant and nodded immediately, smiling. "I'm a good actress."

Remus huffed out a laugh at that. And then, a heartbeat later, he chewed on his lip, looking contemplative. "What about you? Did you—find anything?"

Dora's mouth pulled into a frown, the smile disappearing completely. "Well, I certainly found it," she spat bitterly even as she felt tears prickling her eyes. "Lily was going to poison herself, Remus!"

The Marauder clenched his fingers at her reply, shaking his head. "What are you thinking, Lily?" he muttered to himself.

"I threw it out," Dora continued. Remus looked back at her. "I threw it out and replaced it with some tonic. I don't think she will notice the difference until it's too late."

Remus blinked. Once. Twice. Then his face broke out into a glorious smile. "I am so proud of you right now," he said, and Dora blushed despite herself. "You will make a good Marauder—well, you certainly have more brains than Sirius does."

"Oh, hush," Dora rolled her eyes, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach as she walked around Remus. "I cannot be dilly-dallying in here all day. The king must have woken up by now, and if he's noticed the fake will—well I must dissuade the suspicion as much as possible."

"Right."

"Better get some food for Lily when I return." She looked at Remus expectantly.

"Right." He repeated.

"Aren't you the chef?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

Remus slowly shook his head. He leaned down and brought his mouth close to Dora's ear, much to her delight. "The chef is actually tied up and gagged inside the pantry. Poor bloke. Wasn't expecting it at all."

Dora's eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect 'o' as Remus snickered. "What if someone _finds_ him?!" She hissed.

"I have the keys," he simply replied.

"And here I thought you were actually the most innocent Marauder," Dora said with mock-sadness.

Remus tapped her nose. "You should have never associated the words 'innocent' and 'Marauder' together at all, love."

"Guess the cooking is up to me, then. Cannot have the king finding out all your plans simply by looking at the food if you do it." Dora released a long-suffering sigh, gathering ingredients as she spoke. Remus snorted. The sun had risen by then, and the kitchen was brightly illuminated as she worked. "How are you going to manage the wedding _delicacies_ fit for royalty, then?"

"James will show up by that time." Remus replied. _And we will get ourselves captured_ , he didn't need to add.

"Why bother disguising yourself if you just want to get captured?" Dora grumbled.

Remus sighed, leaning against the counter. "If we get caught while we are inside, Riddle will believe that he does not have to expand his security to the kingdom. He will not send anyone out. And—"

"No one will notice that the citizens are planning a rebellion," Dora breathed in realization. She looked at Remus in awe. "Brilliant."

He laughed. "That was James's idea; it was bound to be."

After a few more minutes—Dora was annoyed to notice—cooks and maids and servants were soon bustling about the kitchen. With a deep breath, she set up the breakfast she had prepared for Lily on a tray and picked it up. She bit her lip, looking at Remus. He reached out and opened the palm of her right hand, closing her fingers around a small, sharp knife.

"Keep it," he said. Dora nodded.

"Be careful," she said, walking past him.

"Deceive well," he replied.

* * *

Presently: The Courtyard

It was as if time had torturously slowed down around Lily.

She could not move from her spot as the scene unfolded before her eyes. The shock and surprise washed over her, dragging her ability to move away with it. She could only stand and stare, watching as the crowd dashed into the courtyard, a battle cry erupting from every pair of lips. All the citizens carried an odd assortment of weapons with them; while some used sensible knives, pitchforks and chains, Lily was also able to spot an occasional spade, glass bottles and _God, was that a rolling pin?!_

She saw several familiar faces as well. Hagrid, Madam Malkin, and even _Filch_. She could hardly believe it. All these people—everyone united against the crown. It was something of a sight to behold.

Slowly, Lily's eyes finally refocused on the Marauders again. And what she saw was enough to pull the world away from right beneath her feet.

For what she had thought—what she had seen—had been little more than a pretentious act. And if _she_ hadn't been able to see through it, the royal guards never even stood a chance.

The princess saw first James, then Sirius and Remus, as all three men—with next to no effort at all—chucked the handcuffs that had been restraining them straight into the faces of the guards who were too busy gaping at the rapidly approaching mob. Lily realized with a jolt then that their cuffs had been taken care of already before they had been even brought out into the courtyard.

She had no doubt it was courtesy of Remus's ability to pick locks effortlessly.

And after that, it was all really rather ridiculous.

The dozen or so guards that had suddenly gathered inside the courtyard were also no match for the large number of commoners who were out for blood. These people were fighting—fighting after they had been oppressed and tortured and starved for the better part of ten _long_ years. There was no pity on their faces as they took on each guard in groups of seven or even eight. And horribly muscular or not, the guards stood no chance. The number of citizens was too overwhelming for them. Add to that the surprise element of the attack, and soon enough, almost all of those guards were down, rolling around in moans and groans of pain.

The Marauders were still engaging about a handful of them all on their own, but Lily could see that they would easily win the fight. How could they not?

Lily watched all of it, letting it settle into her mind. Her legs were shaking, fingers trembling as she covered her mouth with her hand.

She closed her eyes and let the emotion flow through her veins.

_Relief._

They had survived. They could actually walk out of here alive now.

But when she opened her eyes again, Lily felt terror seize her heart, cold and gripping. And before she could think, the scream was leaving her lips. Her eyes were impossibly wide as she stared at King Tom Riddle walk towards the Marauders with his sword in hand, death sweeping along his feet as he moved with an intention to kill.

"JAMES!"

Slow.

She had been too slow.

Lily's heart stopped beating inside her chest altogether as she saw Remus and Sirius look up once her scream had reached their ears. She saw identical terror wash over their faces as they learnt of Riddle's intent, of his unrelenting focus on James's unguarded back. She saw their helpless agony as they were forced to engage in their fight with the remaining guards. She saw as they made quick work of their opponents and whirled around to help their friend.

But Lily knew they would not make it.

It was almost painfully slowly that James started turning around after hearing her. By the time he had managed to face Riddle, the king's sword was already poised and ready to strike.

It was like watching her own heart being repeatedly stabbed.

"NO!" Lily shrieked, the scream tearing out of her throat so sharply that her voice broke in the end.

But then, something happened.

For instead of having pierced right through James's heart as Riddle had intended to do, the sword shook violently and lost its trajectory. Lily still felt her breath catch as the blade ripped through James's shirt instead, and neatly sliced the skin of his bicep. The cut was deep, and blood trickled down his arm, dripping from his fingers.

The Marauder swore vehemently, crying out in pain as he felt the sword cut through skin. The ridiculously grandiose shirt stained red as James clutched his arm, wincing, and felt the warm blood soak the cloth entirely.

But when he raised his head again, James's attention was successfully diverted.

Lily saw it happen.

But it was all so fast, so _unexpected_ , that the princess could do little more than gasp.

She had seen Dora, small and unnoticed by anyone else, standing a few meters away when the king had decided to strike James. Perhaps it was foolish of Lily to not have considered it then, given that Dora had been the only one closest to the fiasco who had not been preoccupied with fighting any of the guards. And yet, it had surprised the princess nonetheless when the girl all but shoved herself into the king.

It was only when the sun's rays glinted off slightly that Lily realized Dora carried a knife with her.

But she had not been the only one to notice it.

Riddle, at the last moment, saw the girl from his peripheral vision as she ran towards him, knife in hand. The way she held it let the king know about her inexperience in fighting, and he easily swerved around the blade. But in the same motion, the girl's petite body slammed into his side in full force, even as the small knife fell noiselessly to the grass. The collision was hard enough to stagger Riddle and completely misdirect his aim. The long sword in his hand shook even as it slashed through cloth and skin, and eventually dropped a few feet away when Riddle finally felt his feet lose control.

"Dora!" Remus yelled, dashing towards the girl as she lay in a heap beside the king. Before Riddle could so much as gain a semblance of control again, Remus had picked her up and pushed her behind him, staring down at Riddle with trepidation.

Lily had had enough. She ran, lifting the layers of white dress as she made her way straight towards James. Sirius was there right beside him, taking in everything with calculating eyes as James's arm rested on his shoulder, the blood now staining Sirius's neck too.

The princess was just glad that Lucius hadn't bothered to stop her. In fact, he looked rather pleased to not have had to marry her.

She finally reached the Marauders, feet slowing as she breathed heavily, lips slightly parted as she looked at James, her face white. "You've lost a lot of blood," she said.

James chuckled breathily, lifting his good hand to brush his fingers against her cheek. Her skin was flushed warm. "Hey."

Lily didn't reply, simply gathered a bunch of cloth from her dress and hastily tore away a long piece from the first layer. Then, wordlessly, she reached up and wrapped it around James's arm firmly to stop the bleeding. The white cloth soon turned red, but it seemed to have stopped the incessant trickle of blood. Lily sighed.

"Thanks," James whispered, his own face a little white now from the blood loss.

That's when he felt something wet on his forearm.

"Lily?"

"You are all so _stupid_!" The princess snapped, her voice thick with emotion. She looked up at the two men in front of her and James's eyes widened at the utterly broken expression on her face. "What if something had happened to you?! You could have _died_!"

"I'm _fine_ ," James said, slowly. Firmly.

"You call this fine?" She shook her head, tears rushing down her face. "I didn't ask for any of this!"

"That's the whole point, love," Sirius spoke up, flicking her nose. She looked at him, and he smirked. "Besides, it would take a lot more than _that_ to get rid of us."

"You mean something like this?"

Lily gasped, watching as Sirius's entire body grew stiff at those words. Her eyes strayed to the dark haired woman who had spoken as she loomed behind the Marauders. She had heavily hooded eyes with long lashes, and her thin lips were pulled into a sneer as she poised her knife carefully against Sirius's throat.

Lily knew her; Princess Bellatrix Black. She was engaged to Prince Rodolphus Lestrange.

The woman might have been beautiful, but there was nothing humane in her expression.

"Hello, Bella," Sirius deadpanned, his previous softness completely gone. The familiarity of the address pulled something in Lily's heart as she realized how difficult it must have been for the Marauder to finally face his family like this after so many years.

"If you do not want your precious Marauders dead," Bellatrix yelled, her silky voice effortlessly carrying to every single commoner in the courtyard, "you will put down all your weapons."

Lily watched in horror as everyone halted, staring wide-eyed at Bellatrix as she cackled; finding great amusement in their pain stricken expressions. It was then that Lily also noticed that Dora and Remus were in similar states of captivity as Sirius, and were being held by Rodolphus Lestrange and his brother, Prince Rabastan Lestrange.

Lily bit her lip, and allowed herself to scan her surroundings more thoroughly, finding her stomach drop in utter dread as she took in the sight.

They were completely surrounded.

It seemed as if the royalty had had enough of sitting around and gossiping, and had finally decided that they could not let a bunch of thieves cause the downfall of a fellow tyrant. It was mostly the Blacks, Rosiers and Lestranges that remained. The Malfoys had subtly disappeared from the scene, including the groom himself. Lily would have snorted at that if she could have.

Instead, she could only stand there, fingers shaking, as she saw all her friends—including James—held captive by varying members of the royalty. All around her, she could sense similar sentiments emanating from the Gryffindor citizens as they stared helplessly at each other.

It was never even a question of whether they could forsake the Marauders.

It was a question of how they could _all_ walk out of there alive.

"Let 'em go!" Hagrid's voice boomed, and Lily saw him shaking with anger.

"You will all pay dearly for what you have done," Riddle spoke up, his cold voice cutting through the courtyard, and simply ignoring Hagrid's plea. Bellatrix snickered. "You will all _die_ in vain. Unless, of course, you wish to stop all this foolishness and leave right now."

There was not a single movement from the gathered crowd.

Riddle hissed, turning on Lily now. "Did you honestly think you could get away with making such a _spectacle_ , princess?"

Lily closed her eyes, fingers bunching against the skirts of her dress in frustration.

"Don't let him get to you!" Sirius yelled, but was effectively shushed when Bellatrix's blade pressed slightly deeper into his skin.

"You have ruined the deal," Riddle continued. _And my claim to the throne_ , he did not need to add, for Lily read it in the icy stare he had locked on her. "And now you will watch everyone you care about die right before your eyes."

"No," The word escaped her lips, vehement and fierce. "No one will die because of me. Kill me. _Kill me_ , and not them. Let them go."

"Oh, I will," Riddle spat, "Do not be under the delusion that you will walk away alive from here today. But you will die only after you have suffered enough—only after _I_ deem it enough."

James's hands were balled into fists. He watched with clenched jaw as the king taunted Lily. Riddle's words—he could only imagine what they were doing to her. He knew she was kind to a fault. That she would only think of herself at the absolute end. Only after everyone else was safe. And Riddle knew it too. He was taking bloody advantage of it.

It made James _sick._

Busy as he was cursing the monster in front of him, it was a while before James felt something queer under his feet. He looked down inconspicuously, and his hazel eyes widened imperceptibly when he saw what his right boot was stepping on. For instead of having sunk into the grass like his left foot had, his right one slightly glided on the blade of the pocket knife below it. It seemed to have fallen from Dora's hand when she had tried to attack Riddle before.

James held his breath, hoping against hope that his captor—James guessed it to be one from the Rosier family—had not noticed the Marauder's suddenly taut posture. He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when he was sure that the prince was busy staring at the scene before him rather than paying attention to James.

Oh, what a fool he was.

With a fluid motion that only came with years of practice, James maneuvered his good arm around until he caught hold of Rosier's wrist that held the knife against his throat. In the same movement, he ducked his head down, swiftly picked up the other knife from the grass using his free hand—clenching his teeth against the pain that shot up from his arm wound—and slashed the blade against the prince's thigh.

Rosier howled in agony as blood gushed from his leg. In his flurry of movement, he ground his knee into James's face.

There was a resounding crunch and James felt his nose break as he fell back down on the ground. The knife shot out of his hand during the movement, and landed somewhere far.

But that had been all the distraction that anyone required.

Sirius and Remus, not even requiring more than a second to understand what happened, used the distraction of their respective captors to immediately gain an advantage over them. It was soon evident as to who was more experienced in combat when both Bellatrix and the Lestranges were unable to overpower the two Marauders.

Dora, seeing her opportunity, moved out of the way as Remus fought both the brothers by himself—seemingly without much difficulty. She instead ran over to help the other citizens and launch surprise attacks on the various opponents the commoners fought with.

Sirius soon had his sword pointed at Bellatrix as she lay on the ground, panting. But instead of killing her—which he really _should_ have done—he instead grabbed a stone from nearby and knocked her out with it.

Then he immediately whirled around towards James. The hazel-eyed man was still on the ground, struggling against Rosier who was putting up a surprisingly good fight despite his wounded leg. James's face was now covered with blood from his nose. His unfavorable position and injured arm—which had started bleeding again—really weren't helping him fight. At this rate, James would simply die of blood loss, Sirius worried.

Just as he was about to go help his friend out, Sirius found himself facing the end of a long sword.

Surprised, he looked up towards his opponent. The man in front of him was handsome, his light-colored skin a stark contrast to his dark hair. His eyes were grey, sharp, and full of disappointment as they looked at Sirius. "Hello, brother."

"Reg," Sirius breathed, gulping against the sudden emotion constricting his throat.

Prince Regulus Black shook his head. "Do not call me that!" He said, and brought his sword closer to Sirius. "I am your opponent. Fight me now."

Sirius snorted derisively. "Still soft around the edges, I see." he said, but picked up the sword and took a defensive stance nonetheless. "If you were a true Black, Reg, you would have killed me before I had the chance of even noticing you."

Regulus sneered. "Do not lecture me about being a Black—that is the biggest form of irony; coming from you."

Sirius continued to side-step his brother. "I never claimed I was a true Black. I have no intention of being one," he replied. "But at least I'm not pretending to fit in."

"Shut up!" Regulus lunged, and a loud clang sounded as his sword met Sirius's blow for blow. "You know nothing about me!"

"I know more about you than you give me credit for!" Sirius shot back, continuing his attacks relentlessly. The Marauder partially acknowledged that Regulus had been practicing, putting up a good fight against him, but another part of Sirius knew—and hated knowing—that the fight was simply being drawn out because Sirius didn't truly want to hurt his brother.

* * *

James panted, his breaths coming out in short, forced spurts as he struggled against Rosier, who seemed too bloody determined to gut him all of a sudden. Beads of sweat had gathered on James's forehead, above his lip, and behind his neck as he pushed against the prince using his legs. His right arm had completely given out on him; the wound made it impossible for him to move anything more than his fingers now. His entire nose was caked with dried blood, and he was certain that some of it had even entered his mouth and dribbled down his chin.

All in all, it was not a pretty sight.

Finally, with a growl that built up from somewhere deep within his chest, James gathered all his strength and stamped hard on the still bleeding wound on Rosier's thigh.

It was certainly very cruel of him, but James couldn't have cared less at that point.

Rosier let out the loudest yelp of pain yet, and James almost felt bad for him. But then the prince's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he lost consciousness from the wound, and James inwardly cheered when the man fell sideways on the grass and his heavy weight lifted off of him.

James was almost certain that he himself wasn't very far from a similar fate—if his shallow breaths and limp joints were anything to go by.

However, before he could welcome the darkness, he had to make sure that she was safe. Lily.

Her name rang around in his head again and again, and James turned his head to the right to find her.

But instead, he saw the last face he wanted to.

King Tom Riddle stood amidst the fight in the courtyard, staring down at James Potter's bloodied condition with poorly hidden satisfaction in his black eyes. There was a mad sort of glint in his eye as he deliberately lifted his leg and kicked the Marauder sharply on the ribs. James gasped, groaning as he clutched his side, and wincing in pain when it throbbed. Riddle kneeled next to him, his long, white fingers inching forward and wrapping themselves around James's throat.

James felt himself choke when the king squeezed his windpipe, his feet kicking out as he struggled to breathe.

"It is because of _you_ ," Riddle spat, the wrath in his voice barely carrying to James's ears as his blood pounded loudly. "Because of you that all my years of planning have come to ruin."

James couldn't reply. Couldn't do much of _anything_ except wheeze.

"Siri—" he tried to call out to his friend, but noticed him already engaged in a fight some distance away. James couldn't really tell who his opponent was, but it seemed that Sirius was in no condition to look away from his battle. Remus was nowhere near sight either, and soon, James's voice gave up on him too.

"You will _die now_." Riddle gritted, raising his right hand above his head.

James looked up, and his hazel eyes widened when he caught sight of the knife that had fallen from his hand earlier. Clearly, it had landed too close to the king, and now James would pay for his folly. Riddle's fingers were curled tightly around the handle, and the sun rays glinted brightly against the blade, bringing tears to James's eyes as he stared.

Or maybe he was crying.

James shut his eyes closed, preparing himself for the blow when he saw Riddle's hand fall down towards him purposefully.

But the sharp, agonizing pain never came. The darkness never came.

Instead, James felt the fingers that were around his throat loosen, and then fall away completely.

Instead, he felt a wet splash against his skin, against his face.

Instead, he heard a loud gasp of pain that was not his own.

Slowly, James opened his eyes again, still not completely in control of his breathing, and allowed the shock at what he saw to completely numb his body.

For the knife that _should_ have stabbed through his heart lay haphazardly against Riddle's thigh. For the wet splash he had felt against his skin earlier had been blood—lots and lots of blood that still gurgled from Riddle's mouth. For the king's black eyes were wide with shock and terror as they stared at the same thing James stared at.

There was a long, glinting sword blade sticking right through Riddle's chest, the blood from it dripping slowly onto the ground beside James.

Then slowly, the sword was being pulled back, and Riddle spurted out more blood from his mouth. James would have retched at the sight if he hadn't been paralyzed with shock and injury. Blood oozed out from the king's chest and stained his clothes red by the time the sword had left his body. James knew enough to be able to tell that the blade had pierced right through Riddle's heart.

And then finally, slowly, James looked up, away from Riddle and towards the figure that stood behind the king.

He stopped breathing.

The sword dropped from her limp fingers, her white dress stained red as she looked down at Riddle. Her hair was flying around her face with the wind, and tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly. But she did not look sad. She looked fearless and brave.

She looked like she had been waiting a long, long time to do that.

"You will not _touch_ him," Lily spat, not a waver in her voice as she stared down at her uncle.

* * *

**To be continued...  
**


	26. Negotiations

** Deception and Disguise **

** Negotiations **

**Disclaimer –** Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belong to me.

* * *

Lily stared down at the man still kneeling before her.

She saw the blood relentlessly pooling at the grass near his knees, the ghastly pallor of his skin which grew worse as second after second ticked by.

Fights continued raging around her in the courtyard, and yet the princess could not bring herself to shift her eyes away from the dying king.

Unable to bear his own weight any longer, Riddle's body gave out under the pain, and he fell sideways onto the ground. Lily didn't bother moving away the sword that had dropped from her hand even as the king's head met with the silver pommel harshly.

Those black, lifeless eyes finally met hers.

And he smiled. A cold, hideous thing, which reminded the princess of her worst nightmares as his teeth pulled back to reveal blood stained teeth.

Lily wanted to spit on his dying body.

"I will let Charles know that his daughter at least had more spine than he did," Riddle wheezed, and immediately coughed up more blood onto his chest.

Lily stepped forward, face expressionless except for the tears that continued to run down her cheeks noiselessly. She stopped when she was close enough to the king to crouch down and stare right into his abyss of a soul. "You're not going to meet him, uncle," she promised, "for all your sins and acts, only the darkest depths of hell await you."

Riddle's smile disappeared at those words, only to be replaced by an expression of utter loathing.

But before he could say another word, or lift so much as a finger, he felt the darkness engulf him in its clutches, forever etching a mark of hatred on his cold, lifeless face.

Lily felt a shudder rake through her at the sight, and she raised a hand to cover her mouth as she stared down at the dead man. It was over.

Riddle was defeated.

She had killed him.

_She_ had killed him.

Lily's eyes closed shut tightly, a few more tears leaking out from the corners as she let the realization, the true impact of what she had done, sweep over her. People were still fighting around her. Had their world not shifted beneath their feet like hers had? Did they not feel the absolute _difference_ in the air that she could not ignore? How did they not realize that the king was dead? Finally _finally_ dead?

"L-lily," the weakest of sounds carried through the air.

Her green eyes snapped open.

"James," Lily turned around immediately, looking towards the man as he lay a few feet away from her. He was in such a horrible condition. How could she have entertained Riddle while he was lying there like that? When it was him, when it was the very fear for _him_ that had pushed Lily to pick up the abandoned sword in the first place?

She rushed towards him then, white gown shredded and dirtied as it brushed over the courtyard. Lily dropped to her knees beside the man, her hands reaching up to push back his thick hair from where it had gotten stuck to his sweaty forehead. "Oh, James," she sobbed, running her fingers over his hair again and again.

His entire face was all but covered in blood. Some of his own, and most of it someone else's. His right arm was gory, and looked so motionless that Lily was too scared to even touch it. His shirt was torn open, and ugly bruises marred his neck and more parts of his body than Lily could bear.

Shredded as the dress already was, Lily didn't think twice before tearing away another thin strip of cloth from her skirt to gently wipe away some of the blood from James's face. Her eyes never left his even as she stroked over his nose, his lips, his chin. In return, he didn't say anything either; simply watched her.

She was scared.

She was so _so_ scared and the goddamned tears just wouldn't _stop_.

"Shh," James lifted his good arm—even though the small action felt like it was draining him of all his remaining energy—and brushed it across her wet cheek. "It's okay, Lily. He's gone. You did it. You were so brave, so beautiful."

Lily shook her head, still crying as she caught James's larger hand between both of her own, dropping the soiled cloth away. "It was you," she sobbed, placing a sloppy kiss on the back of his hand. "You made me brave, James. I'm nothing without you—I love you."

Even in his bloodied, half-conscious state, James felt warmth stir beneath his rib cage as those words left her lips. She'd said them only once before, almost dismissively, and this time she didn't sound like she wished she weren't in love with him. She sounded like she was glad—despite her tears—that he was near her. "Lily," James whispered, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip ever so gently.

He saw her mouth open slightly at his touch, heard her sharp intake of breath, and shifted his hand to the side of her neck, pulling her forward slowly.

Lily, understanding his gesture, scooted closer to James on the ground, her small palm flattening against his chest while the other reached up to touch his face. She traced her fingers gently over the cuts on his lip, his nose, the bruises on his cheekbones, and felt tears prick her eyes again. "You're so _hurt_ ," her voice broke on the last word.

James didn't say anything; he simple pulled her closer, and Lily—making sure she didn't put pressure on his bruised ribs or limp arm—let him.

Her fingers left his chest to clench at the fabric of his torn shirt when her lips finally found his.

James heard Lily gasp softly as her lips slid against his own, and opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. He felt the sting of the cut on his lip, and wondered for a second whether Lily minded that he was bleeding and entirely covered in grime. But then her fingers wound into his hair and he felt her tongue enter his mouth, and decided that she probably didn't. She was being very cautious though; shifting her weight carefully around so as to not hurt him, and James loved her more for it. Loved her so much that his heart ached at his body's inability to do anything more than move one arm.

But suddenly, she was being taken away from him. Her body left his, and the surrounding wind unwelcomingly breezed by him instead.

James opened his eyes—a frown on his face and a question on his lips ready—when he took in what was happening around him.

Lily hadn't been pulled away from him. She had done it on her own, and now stood beside him, her back to him as she stared ahead at what seemed like all of the royalty from Slytherin.

Bellatrix Black was at the head of that group, her eyes rimmed with black kohl as she stared at Lily with deep resentment. There was a small, but noticeable bump on the side of her head. Her eyes momentarily flickered down to James, and he saw a grimace curl around her mouth, her palms clenching into fists beside the skirts of her elaborate dress.

Before he could process what was happening, James felt the rush of a body as it dropped to the ground beside him, and then his head was being lifted up, carefully, to be placed onto a lap. His eyes looked for the face he knew he'd see. "Sirius," he choked, glad his friend was okay, even as he stared down at James with a worried expression on his face.

"You stupid tosser," Sirius greeted him, "Kicking the bucket so soon?"

"Not a chance," James grinned.

"Well, certainly looks like it," the grey-eyed man frowned, and poked James's right arm to accompany his statement, earning a loud gasp of pain in response.

"Sirius, you stupid sod, my arm is in shreds!"

"My bad,"

"Oh my God, James," Dora whimpered as she wobbled into their little group along with Remus. Dora's right knee was slightly bleeding, and Remus had his arm wrapped around her waist to help her. The light-haired marauder looked down at James and blanched.

"Mate, are you okay?"

"I think I may live as long as Sirius doesn't go about poking at my wounds again," James offered. "What's going on over here, by the way?" he asked, eyes jerking towards Lily as she still stood facing the crowd before her.

"What do you mean?" Remus frowned, "Bellatrix found Riddle's body and started howling and gathering everyone. Were you unconscious through all of it?"

James then realized that he had been so lost in Lily and their kiss that he had all but tuned out the rest of the world around him. The tips of his ears turned red as he felt Sirius shake with laughter.

"More like drugged with love," he heard Sirius say, and sincerely wished he had his mobility back so that he could smack his best friend over the head.

* * *

"Step aside, Your Highness," Bellatrix's voice carried over to Lily's ears. The voice belonged to a deranged woman who sought revenge.

Sirius, Remus and Dora had arrived a few minutes ago to take care of James, and now Lily could give her full attention to the woman in front of her. Lily had had enough of hiding behind her friends, always depending upon them to help her, always crying. Now she would fight for them, protect them, stand before them to make sure nothing harmed them.

"No," Lily answered, her own voice high and unwavering as she faced everyone. She could feel the eyes of the commoners on her as well, could sense their confusion as to how King Tom Riddle's lifeless body now lay on the ground beside them.

"Step aside, silly girl, you cannot save him after what he has done," Bellatrix gritted, taking a step forward towards James, only to have it blocked a second later by Lily moving to stand in front of her again.

"Don't take that condescending tone with me," She warned the older woman, "Riddle made that mistake, and he died at my hands paying for it."

That got Bellatrix's attention, Lily thought smugly, as the princess's heavily hooded eyes widen noticeably, a derision filled sneer curving her lips. " _You_?!" she scoffed, eyes flying down to look at James again before lifting back, " _you_ killed the king? And you expect me to believe that? You can only go so far to protect that boy."

"She's not lying," a voice interrupted what Lily had been about to say. She frowned, turning her head to look at the man that had spoken, and her eyebrows lifted in surprise. Sharp grey eyes and a brooding face stared back at her. He had such an uncanny resemblance to the man she had come to love as her own brother that Lily couldn't believe she hadn't connected the dots when Sirius had told her about having a younger brother before.

"And what makes you say that, Regulus?" Bellatrix snapped at her cousin.

"I saw it happen, that's what," Regulus Black informed her, an irritated tilt to his voice.

"Was this before or _after_ you let Sirius turn you soft again?"

Lily frowned. She didn't particularly harbor warm feelings for Prince Regulus Black, but he had always been a sight more tolerable than any of the other Blacks. And now, knowing what she did of Sirius's history with his brother, she wanted to punch Bellatrix in the face for throwing it around like that in front of everyone.

"Not now, Bella," Regulus growled, stormy eyes pinning on the woman.

Bellatrix simply scoffed, an ugly expression on her face as she turned back to look at Lily. "Be that as it may, do not think that being a princess allows you to get away with this. You murdered a king!"

"That's rubbish!" Dora shouted, and Bellatrix's face twisted in disgust at having being addressed by the petite girl. "No one in this goddamned kingdom has a problem with that!"

There were unanimous murmurs and exclamations of agreement at her statement. Lily allowed a small smile to grace her face even as she stood facing the royalty, her back straight and head held high. "You've gotten your answer," she said in a calm voice.

"Their silly cries of vendetta do not make the law, princess," Bellatrix informed in a silky voice. Lily heard Rabastan Lestrange snicker behind the woman, and felt very much like hurling out her guts. "The law of this kingdom, written down by your very ancestors, marks you as a traitor to the crown. And as a murderer to be _hanged_."

"You can't hang the crown itself," a raspy, overpowering voice spoke up from behind them, filling Lily's lungs with air again. She turned around to look at James, for it was he who had spoken, and saw him struggling with something in his boot. She frowned in confusion, waiting along with everyone else, as Sirius helped James pull out a roll of worn parchment from the footwear.

Lily's heart thudded.

She knew in her bones what it was. She refused to consider what they had done to get their hands on it though.

"What is that?" Bellatrix snapped, seemingly irritated at having being interrupted in her attempt to crush Lily's spirit. "A piece of parchment cannot overrule the law."

"Actually," James smirked, his mouth twisting into a cold smirk that Lily recalled from a time long ago, "you will find that it can."

Having said what he wanted to, James collapsed back on to the ground with an expulsion of breath, passing on the parchment to Sirius to read. Lily's skin flushed, the blood in her veins singing and humming. He had done it again. Gone and saved her life even as he bled out on the grass. She wanted to hold his hand, rush to his side and kiss him again—damn the audience around—and her lips tingled merely at the thought. But Sirius's loud, firm voice kept Lily from doing anything of the kind, even as her green eyes never left the man lying with his head on Sirius's lap.

"I, Charles Henry Evans III, King of Gryffindor, head of the royal family of the Evans'," the marauder's voice boomed across the courtyard, and the beloved king's name was enough to make even the wind become silent in anticipation, "hereby hand over all my properties and holdings to my lone daughter, Lily Catherine Evans, princess of Gryffindor, after my death. This will should only be brought to effect when Princess Evans crosses the eighteenth year of her life—"

"Let me see that!" Bellatrix demanded, her rattled voice drowning out the buzz of conversation and gasps around them.

Lily blushed even harder as the parchment was handed over. She still kept her eyes trained on James though, his soft smile reining her in and preventing the ground from completely disappearing beneath her feet.

"He is right," Regulus's soft voice confirmed what the commoners were daring to hope for as the prince read the will over Bellatrix's shoulder. Grey eyes glanced up at her skeptically. "Are you eighteen?"

Lily found herself raising her chin slightly, and finally looking away from James to regard the prince. "I turned eighteen today," she replied.

He would forever live denying this moment whenever questioned about it from then onward, but Regulus Black found his lips pulling back from his teeth into an impressed smile at Lily's answer. His voice remained cool and aloof, however—an act that both brothers were adept at—when he said, "That makes you the queen of Gyffindor then, your highness."

A brief moment of silence passed over the courtyard at that title before James's single bark of laughter cut through the air. And then it was all a flurry of movements.

A thunderous cheer arose amongst the citizens, and Lily suddenly found herself being swarmed by widely grinning faces and happy tears as the people around her rejoiced. She momentarily caught Bellatrix's stormy expression within the throng of faces, but couldn't help herself from smiling and laughing along with everyone else as jubilant emotions flooded the courtyard. Amongst the celebrations, she could have sworn she saw Sirius smiling at Regulus, but found herself being passed from person to person, hug to hug, before she could confirm anything.

"You're our queen," an old woman sobbed, and Lily found herself tearing up too as the woman touched her face lovingly.

Hagrid's huge frame and broad smile greeted her next, and Lily shrieked in delight as he picked her straight from the ground effortlessly, and his arms wrapped around her in a warm hug. She laughed and hugged him back, feeling her throat clogging up with emotion.

"Thank yeh, Lily. Yeh're the best queen this broken kingdom could have found," Hagrid told her, setting her on her feet.

Lily simply squeezed his giant hands in lieu of a response, not trusting her voice, and was soon surrounded by joyous faces again.

"James!" She heard someone's panicked voice shout, and the name pierced straight through her senses. Lily immediately broke away from the crowd, politely but firmly excusing herself as more well-wishers stepped to greet her, and walked towards where she had last seen the man who held her heart in the palm of his hand.

"Lily!" Sirius breathed her name with relief as soon as his eyes found her face. He then looked down towards James, whose head was still propped up on his lap, and Lily followed his gaze. Something painful clawed inside her chest as she took in his shallow breaths and drooping eyelids. Immediately her knees hit the grass and she moved to hold James's hand in her own. The cold, clammy skin scared her to no end.

"James," Lily whispered, choking on a sob as she squeezed his fingers. His hazel eyes shifted languidly until they rested on her, and he smiled slightly.

"Lily," he rasped.

"I'm here," she promised, bringing his hand up against her cheek.

"You're the queen now," James sighed, tucking some strands of auburn hair behind her ear. "I wish I could have seen you rule."

"You _will_ ," Lily scolded, her voice hard as granite even as Sirius's throat bobbed tellingly at James's statement. "You're going to be fine—"

"We've already sent for a healer. She'll be here in no time," Remus panted as he came forward. Lily assumed he had gone to do just that, and would have chastised herself for not noticing his absence earlier were she not otherwise preoccupied.

"See," she gave a watery smile to James, her fingers ghosting over his cheekbones, "everything will be fine."

"I don't know how I ever believed you before," James chuckled, and Lily frowned in confusion for a second, before panic seized her heart when his eyes shut completely. "You're such a bad liar, Lily."

"James!"

* * *

"You should rest, Your Majesty,"

"I'm okay," He heard her say. Her voice was soft, tired and beautiful. Lily.

"You haven't slept at all, and the medicines can only work if you give your body rest—"

"I'm not leaving him," Lily cut off the unknown voice. She spoke with such a sense of finality that it made James want to smile. But he still wasn't conscious enough to do much more than listen. The dull burn he felt on his right arm was the only pain he could immediately identify. It seemed like the healer, whoever she had been, had known exactly what she was doing.

James heard the soft sound of shutting doors, and realized with acute excitement that he was alone with Lily. He still didn't move, however, even when Lily's fingers started combing through his hair, brushing back the strands from his forehead.

The gesture alone comforted James enough that he almost fell asleep again. But then she sighed heavily.

"How much longer do you intend to torture me for?" Lily whispered, and James felt his heart tug painfully at the emotion in her voice. "Wake up so that I can shout at you for your stupid bravado," she continued.

Before he could give any indication of his state of consciousness, however, James felt something heavy being gently dropped onto his stomach. After a fashion, he allowed his eyes to flutter open. The first thing he noticed was the canopy of the bed he lay on. He next noticed the large balcony to his right that spilled in generous amounts of sunlight into the royal chambers he had already seen a few days ago. And finally, his eyes settled on the beautiful girl whose head rested on his stomach, her long red hair sprawled over his bare torso as she slept.

She was dressed in a simple, elegant gray silk dress, and the cut on her lip was now clean and dry. The bruises near her cheekbones were also almost faded, but the darkness around her eyes told James enough about the rest she was allowing herself to get.

"I had something else in mind other than shouting when I woke up," he found himself saying in a hoarse voice, and tried to control the thunderous beat of his heart when Lily's emerald eyes snapped open immediately, "would you be open to negotiation?"

James watched carefully as she lifted her head off of him, and her trembling fingers reached up to cover her mouth. Her eyes shone with barely contained tears, and he gave her a sleepy smile. With a strangled noise that James would always remember, Lily all but threw her arms over his shoulders and buried her face into his neck. "I was so worried," her muffled voice sobbed.

James breathed her in deeply, turning his head slightly to place a kiss on Lily's ear. His good arm reached up to stroke her hair soothingly. "We made it, Lily," he whispered in awe, bumping his head against hers gently so she would look up.

Sniffling slightly, Lily raised her head to look at James. She lifted her hand and ran her fingertips over the cut on his nose gently. The healer had set it back into place, and Lily had been glad for James's unconscious state during those painful seconds. He now looked up at her with a brightness in his eyes and a smile on his face that made her skin flush happily.

"We made it," she repeated his earlier words, and a giggle burst from her lips suddenly, "how long were you awake for?"

"Not long," James grinned back at her. Lily seemed to now have a light in her eyes that he couldn't get enough of, so he unabashedly tugged her closer. "What do you say about that negotiation?"

It was not like she would disagree anyway, given that James's nose was almost touching hers now, but Lily humored him nonetheless. "I think I'm quite inclined to agree. Shouting requires too much ef—"

But then his lips were on hers, and Lily decided she had humored him more than enough.

She was still careful as he kissed her though; keeping her hands only on his face and brushing her lips softly over his. James didn't seem to like that however, because soon he was pulling her on top of him, bruised ribs and arm be damned. Lily made a disgruntled noise at the back of her throat and pulled back slightly to look at him with a frown.

"You're not yet healed completely," she admonished.

"The kisses help," he shot back happily, and Lily rolled her eyes despite the amused smile tugging at her lips.

"James—"

"You're depriving me of treatment," he insisted and pulled her head back down to his.

Lily chuckled lightly against his lips, but otherwise allowed him to take advantage of her already waning self-control. She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, and wound her fingers into his soft hair. James's hand glided down to her hips, and Lily breathed a little harder when his fingers dug into the skin there. A surprised little squeak escaped her when he suddenly flipped them over so that she was pinned underneath him.

"I'm kissing the queen," he told her, a giddy sort of smile on his face. Lily's face felt like it was burning as her head flopped back onto the pillow behind her.

"So it would seem," she bit her lip, heart fluttering slightly when hazel eyes followed the movement.

James shook his head slowly before looking into her eyes again. His grin softened all of a sudden, and Lily's heart tugged at the loving expression that shone on his face. "I'm kissing _you_ ," he emphasized, as if that fact had completely escaped her.

Lily giggled again, and placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips before gently pushing him back down on the mattress beside her. "That's enough out of you for now, I believe," she told him, squashing down the objections her own body made at that idea.

James released a long suffering sigh, but didn't complain much as she resumed running her fingers through his hair. Lily smiled when he hummed in contentment, and allowed herself some much needed rest when his eyes closed and his breathing evened again.

* * *

The next time James found himself pulled back into consciousness, Lily was absent. This displeased him quite a bit, before he realized he was accompanied by his two best friends instead.

"Stop drooling on the bed, Sirius," Remus was hissing, sounding like he was quite tired. There was a white bandage around his forearm, and a fading bruise near his temple, but otherwise—James was relieved to note—Remus looked quite jovial.

Even as he chided the third marauder who was indeed drooling abundantly as he slept near the foot of the bed.

"Mmnnn," Sirius moaned, frowning sleepily as he wiped at his cheek. The subtle moonlight streaking in from the balcony let James know that he'd slept for much longer than he had expected to. Sirius's grey eyes eventually fluttered open, and then immediately rested on James. A wide grin split across his entire face. "Good evening, Your Majesty," he greeted.

Remus whipped his head around, and upon seeing James awake, smiled too. "Finally! You've been asleep for more than two days," Remus informed him, propping up the pillows behind James to help him sit up.

"That long?" James scratched his head before realizing that there was a light throb in his arm from the movement. He looked down at his bandaged wound with wonder. "What did that healer _use_? This is working like magic."

Sirius laughed, nodding. "I know! Apparently she came from Hufflepuff, and was visiting her sister here. What luck! Pomfrey, they call her."

"Lucky indeed," James murmured, deciding he would find the woman and thank her personally at the earliest. He licked his lips, blinked a few times and then cleared his throat. "Where is, umm, Lily?"

Remus smirked, and Sirius slapped a hand to his knee, guffawing. "You lasted a whole five minutes! I'm impressed, mate," he teased.

James huffed in annoyance and turned to the light-haired marauder instead. "Remus?"

"She's in the library somewhere, taking care of some preparations…for tomorrow,"

"What's tomorrow?" James tilted his head inquiringly.

"The coronation," Sirius said. The answer would have been not too out of place—and James wouldn't have given it a second thought—were it not for the maniacal grin that his best mate accompanied with the answer, or the pointed stare that he received along with it.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" James asked, narrowing his eyes.

"The _coronation_ ," Sirius emphasized again, and James felt a sense of foreboding when he noticed Remus trying to look anywhere but at him, "for _you_."

"WHAT?" James roared, gob smacked as he shot up from the bed to stare at his friends incredulously. Sirius's eyebrows momentarily rose at his outburst, before the marauder dissolved into a fit of chuckles. Much to James's chagrin, Sirius put his palm out to Remus, upon which the latter dropped a handful of coins dejectedly.

Brilliant. Now his reactions were being wagered on.

"What you just said…" James began hesitantly again, trying not to panic. _Good evening, Your Majesty,_ Sirius had said. James had foolishly assumed it to be some witty remark of his. "Wha—what did you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounded like, mate," Sirius sighed cheerfully, still grinning much too widely for James's liking. "It's your coronation tomorrow."

James pinched his eyes shut, and ran his hands through his hair in agitation. "How could it be _mine_? I'm not even—"

"Do you remember the last part of the old king's will?" Remus put in softly, _pointedly_. "The part where it read that the will was valid until Lily dies or passes on the ownership to—James! Where are you going?"

But Remus's question remained unanswered as James all but flew across the room and out the door, not looking back even once. After the doors of the chamber closed, Sirius gave a light chuckle and rolled himself into a more comfortable position on the bed.

"I give it two minutes before he forgets his temper upon seeing her," he said, and Remus, despite himself, laughed along with him in agreement.

* * *

"Are you absolutely barking _mad_?"

Lily's eyes lifted in surprise when a tanned hand loudly slammed down onto the pile of parchment she had neatly stacked beside her on the table. James's face was red, his hair disheveled, and a frown rested between his eyebrows as he glared at her. He was still shirtless, she noticed, her cheeks turning slightly pink. And the rapidly healing gash on his arm made him look all the more rugged.

He really was quite handsome, Lily found herself thinking.

"You're awake," she told him unnecessarily, a bright grin spreading across her face.

James's scowl faltered for a second at her warm expression, but he soon reined it back in. "Lily, Sirius and Remus told me about the coronation," he said pointedly.

"Oh?" Lily simply smirked, "and what are your thoughts on the matter?"

"I think you're out of your mind," James groaned, dropping into the chair beside hers. Lily's smile never wavered even as he continued to grumble, "what are you thinking, you daft woman? Making me the king?"

Lily sighed, reaching out and dropping her hand onto his on top of the table. James couldn't help but turn his palm upward to intertwine their fingers. He was marveling at how _perfect_ their hands looked together when Lily replied.

"Remus and Sirius, and practically the whole kingdom, agree with my decision," she informed him softly.

Surprised, James's hazel eyes shot up again. "Everyone already knows about this?"

"Of course," Lily replied easily, "I announced it on the same day in the courtyard after you had lost consciousness, James."

"Why would you not tell me about it?" the marauder found himself asking, _whining_. "Shouldn't I be the first person to know?" Already, he could no longer locate the embers of anger he had entered the library with. The girl drove him absolutely mad.

Lily chuckled at his tone. "I knew you would never agree to it outright. So I had everyone's approval first so that you'd see how much everyone looks up to you. How much they _adore_ you. _I_ adore you."

And that was that. How could he possibly be expected to remain angry with her when she was saying things like that?

"What do the other kingdoms have to say about this?" James sighed, bringing up their adjoined hands to rest his forehead against the back of Lily's hand. "I'm sure the Slytherin royalty isn't too pleased by your decision."

"What happens inside Gryffindor isn't any of their concern," Lily told him firmly. "Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have already been informed about the incident, and of the upcoming coronation. There seems to be no objection. They are our neighbors, and important for the trade, but honestly James, even if they didn't approve, none of their opinions truly matter."

"And what about you?" James whispered uncertainly, tugging on her hand until Lily was pushing back her chair and walking around it to stand in front of him.

"Oh, James, I'm doing this for the most selfish reasons," she traced the lines of his face with her free hand, "haven't you figured that out yet? Seeing you—the noblest person I know, and the man I love—on the throne, it will be like a dream come true for me."

James simply stared at her for a few moments before pulling her onto his lap in a swift movement. Lily acquiesced happily, a smile curving her lips upward when he dropped a quick kiss on them.

"I can't believe you were thinking of killing yourself," James frowned after a while, dropping his head onto her shoulder. Lily bit her lip, her stomach rolling uncomfortably at the reminder.

"I'm sorry I scared you," she told him meekly, and then rested her cheek on the top of his head. "I can't believe you walked back into the palace, either."

"You can't?" James's voice was amused against her skin.

Lily snickered at his answer. "I suppose I can," she allowed, "probably knew you would, too, deep inside. Just didn't want to believe it. But I'm glad you came back for me."

"I'll always come back for you," James kissed her shoulder, "How could I not?"

"I love you," Lily told him, and James lifted his head to look at her, brushing his hand across her cheek in a caress. "And I believe you will be the best king this kingdom has ever seen."

"What if I mess up?" James asked, sighing uncertainly. "I have no clue as to the first thing about ruling a kingdom."

"I'm always here, James," Lily reminded him softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Will you be here as my queen?"

" _What_?" Green eyes widened in surprise, her mouth dropping open at his question.

James's arms around Lily's waist tightened instinctively at her question, as if afraid she would bolt straight from the library. He need not have worried though, for Lily felt like she had frozen in that position for all of eternity. With his face turning red, and flustered, James rushed through with what he had to say.

"I mean—not that I'm expecting you to, but certainly _hoping_. Of course, we haven't even courted yet, and it's really all just crazy. I didn't mean to—I mean, I _meant_ to—but not like this. I should have asked properly first, it's only manners, but well, I thought we were way past the courting period, and now you're going ahead and making me the _king_ —"

"Yes."

"What?"

"What?"

"Did you just—"

Lily grinned, "I did just."

"Oh," James blinked once. Then a few more times in rapid procession. "I—wow."

"Yeah," Lily's smile widened, her face practically being eaten up by the grin, "yeah, I'll be your queen, James Potter. I'll _marry_ you."

That word seemed to do it for him, for James finally released a rush of breath, his smile mirroring hers. "In hindsight, I probably should have gotten a ring first."

"I'm willing to compromise," Lily leaned towards him, her forehead coming down to rest against his as she hummed softly, "would you be open to negotiation?"

The familiar words, the sudden surge of happiness, and the warmth of Lily's breath mixing with his own had James feeling giddy and a little light-headed. His lips touched hers, and he smiled.

"Negotiations are the best," the young king-to-be admitted.

The End

* * *

**A/N** – Signing off with lots of love.

Claudia.


End file.
